Georgia On My Mind
by Meredith Girl
Summary: Damon takes Elena on his little road trip to Georgia. Elena, distraught over her resemblence to Katherine, decides to let loose with surprising consequences. Canon through "Bloodlines." Follows most of the show plot with Damon-ic twists...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

**_Author's note: I know I have unfinished Gilmore business but watching Damon is my new guilty pleasure. Besides, we never got to see what happened that night... (P.S. Rated M for what happens when the fireworks start.)_**

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**Chapter 1**

Elena felt… weird. Everything was fuzzy: the taste in her mouth, the numbness of her limbs, and the slight throbbing in her head, which was compounded by the fact that she heard a muffled beat in the background. As she slowly - and painfully - regained consciousness, she realized that the beat was coming from the radio, tuned to - a country station? She rubbed her head as she slowly opened her eyes. She noticed three things immediately. First: she was in the passenger seat of a car. Second: this was not her car. And third: Damon was driving... and singing…

"Oh no," she moaned.

"Morning, sunshine," Damon said, not even bothering to look in her direction as he sang in a ridiculous falsetto. "If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along so why can't you see-e-e, you belong with me-e-e…" He smirked. "That's what you kids are into, right? Taylor Swift?"

"Not this kid," she retorted. Damon shrugged, changing the station to generic rock and tapping out the drumbeat on the steering wheel. Elena turned her attention to the road and focused on the green sign on the side of the highway. As they came closer, she freaked when she saw the destination. "74 miles to Atlanta? What the hell, Damon?! How did we get to Georgia?"

"Well you see we took the interstate; I-81 to I-77 to I-85 and boom! We're in Nowheresville, Georgia."

Elena managed enough strength to punch him in the arm. "I know that, jackass. I want to know WHY we're in Nowheresville, Georgia!"

"Ok, first of all, seriously? The idea that your puny little human fist could do even the slightest damage to my magnificent biceps is laughable. But don't scratch my jacket. It cost $600. I will kill you." He flashed his teeth at her in a brief toothpaste-commercial-worthy smile. She almost expected a ping. He returned to his normal sarcastic/bored expression. "Kidding."

Elena only half-listened to Damon. She began to panic. "Ok, the last thing I remember was driving last night and all of a sudden there was this guy in the road, but I didn't see him in time and I think I hit him, but I'm not sure, and I was lying there in the car and he got up and his arms and legs were snapping back into place and I realized he was…" She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remember his face. "At least I think he was a vampire." She sighed and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "And then there was you… you pulled me from the car, and then…" she gave up. "And then what?"

"And then you said 'oh, Damon, you're my hero' and we had mad passionate monkey sex on the hood of your car," he deadpanned.

Elena punched him again. "Not funny, Damon."

"Ok, I wasn't kidding about the jacket," he said, mock-inspecting the sleeve. She continued to look at him expectantly. He sighed. "You seemed pretty shaken up so I figured you needed looking after."

"So naturally you decided to hijack someone's car and kidnap me. I'm pretty sure this is a felony or something," she complained.

"No," Damon said, his patience wearing thin. "I was already on my way when I decided to save your pitiful ass. It was... convenient to bring you along on my little road trip. Would you rather I'd left you to die?"

"No," she grumbled. "But Damon, we have to go back!"

"Says who?"

"Says me! I have school, remember?"

"You're not head cheerleader anymore. I'd say several years of being miss goody two shoes has entitled you to skip a day or two."

"A day or two?" Her panic was rising. "Damon, no, come on, we have to go back. Whatever it is can wait."

"Actually, it can't." He offered no further explanation.

"Argh!" Elena slunk down in her seat and cringed. She just discovered three more bruises with that one movement. "Look, be reasonable. My aunt's probably freaking out, and I'm sure Bonnie is wondering where I am, and people will notice that I'm gone!"

"People like… Stefan?" Damon said.

Elena swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. "Uh… I was thinking more like Caroline, and Matt."

Damon snorted. "Somehow I doubt they'll miss you that much. Not that you're unmissable. I just think they're a bit… distracted right now," he said with a lascivious eyebrow wiggle. "Besides, all that's taken care of."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked suspiciously.

"You texted your aunt and BFF this morning to tell each of them a great cover story."

"I did?" Elena asked, confused.

Damon sighed dramatically. "Ok, fine Officer Krupke, I did. I only had to mildly grope you to fish out your phone and fifty keystrokes later, you're off the hook."

Elena jumped when her phone started ringing from its new home tucked inside her cleavage. She shot Damon a dirty look and pulled it out, trying to ignore the seemingly permanent smirk on his face. She looked at the caller ID and frowned, contemplating whether or not she should answer it.

"Ok, either you answer it or I will, because that ringtone is seriously annoying," Damon said.

"I'm not answering it," she decided. Damon rolled his eyes and grabbed the phone out of her hands. "Hey!" she complained, trying to get it back to no avail.

He punched a button. "Elena's phone, Undead Sex God speaking."

"Damon, give it back!" she said. He easily held her at bay.

_"Damon? Where are you? Where's Elena? Is she ok? Put her on the phone!"_ Stefan asked from the other end.

"Hey, little brother. How you doin'? How's the weather in Virginia?"

_"Damon!"_ Stefan growled.

"Oh, fine. Elena, dear, your boyfriend would really like to speak to you."

"Well I don't want to speak to him," she said defiantly, crossing her arms.

"Ouch, did you hear that? I guess she's moved on to bigger and better things," Damon said, with a significant glance to his crotch and a wink at Elena. She rolled her eyes.

_"Damon, I swear, if you touch her…"_

"Relax, Stefan. I'm sure you'll be out of the doghouse soon enough for whatever it is, but for now, I promise not to touch Elena… unless she asks me to."

_"Please, just put Elena-"_

"Ok, you're boring me now. Buh-bye!" Damon hung up the phone and tossed it back to Elena. "First fight?" he asked, batting his eyelashes.

"More like last fight," Elena mumbled, tucking her phone back into her pocket.

"Ooh, intrigue."

Elena sighed, the events of last night rushing back to her. Katherine's picture was burned into her memory. "You know, I'm surprised you haven't tried to jump my bones yet," she said bitterly.

"Interesting twist: continue."

Elena glared at him. "All this time... All this time and neither of you even considered telling me that I am basically Katherine reincarnate?"

"Ah, that," Damon said uneasily.

"Yeah, that. I mean, I saw the picture in Stefan's room. I'm exactly like her!"

Damon scoffed. "Oh please. You're nothing like her."

"What? How can you say that?"

Damon glanced over at her. "You may look like her - which, I'll admit, is the damnedest thing - but five minutes after meeting you it was pretty clear that you were her polar opposite. Katherine was cunning; she could be equally charming and manipulative, but you are completely guileless. You suck at lying and you have this totally open face. I would never need to compel you; your eyes give away everything you're thinking." He thought about it for a moment, trying to figure out what traits they shared. They both certainly had fire brimming just below the surface, but Katherine's was wicked through and through, and Elena's always seemed to stem from righteous indignation. Katherine was exciting to be sure, and Elena, well, she was a tad pedestrian in comparison.

"Still…" Elena said, surprised that Damon seemingly had her pegged so completely. But just because he thought that way didn't mean Stefan felt the same. "How could he? How could he be with me all this time and just - I don't know - forget to tell me? Hey, by the way, you look just like my ex-girlfriend who was actually the love of my life who screwed me over for all eternity."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Now you're just being dramatic."

"No I'm not! Every time he kissed me, every time he looked at me, how do I know he wasn't seeing Katherine? Kissing Katherine? Making love to Katherine?"

"Ok, officially too much information," Damon said. "But here's the deal, Elena. You don't know. My brother, who for all intents and purposes is the 'good brother,' apparently didn't think you were ready for the truth, or perhaps figured you couldn't handle the truth…ever. Whereas I personally don't give a rat's ass. So you look like her. Deal with it. I already have."

Elena picked at the hem of her shirt. She was thoroughly confused. Last night started out as one of the best nights of her life. She told Stefan she loved him and they'd spent an amazing night together. Though he never verbalized a return of her affections, he showed her with his body how much he loved her. Or appeared to love her. Elena finally felt at home, totally happy for the first time since her parents died. And then to find Katherine's picture… it sickened her. She studied Damon's face. He'd already dealt with the fact that she looked exactly like Katherine - but what did that mean, really?

"What?" he finally asked.

"So you're telling me that when you look at me, all you see is Elena? There's not even one small part of you that wishes or imagines I'm really her?"

Damon sighed. How stupid did she think he was? "Ok, I'm only going to explain this one more time because now you're starting to irritate me. Think of it this way. Say you had an identical twin. Say I slept with your identical twin a hundred years ago, give or take a decade."

Elena rolled her eyes. The logistical challenges alone…

Damon continued. "So I break up with your identical twin and then start dating you much, much later. Now, you may look like her, but do you think I really wouldn't know the difference?"

"Well, of course you would, you knew both of us at the same time so we were always different people to you." Now Elena's head was starting to hurt for entirely different reasons. His logic was warped but for some reason was making sense to her.

"Well you and Katherine are clearly different people. You speak with different accents, you dress from different centuries, and, oh, did I mention the completely different personalities? She was dangerous and exciting, whereas you're kind of boring. She's a vampire and you're human, she's - "

"Ok, you made your point," Elena interrupted. She was seething on the inside; how dare Damon say she was boring? He didn't know her. Well, he didn't know pre-orphaned queen bee Elena. She was a different person back then.

"Thank you," he said dramatically. They had a comfortable silence for approximately thirty seconds before...

"So do you think that Stefan shares your - "

"Oh my God!" Damon growled in frustration. He slammed on the breaks and pulled off the highway, putting the car in park.

"What the hell!" Elena cried, bracing herself against the dashboard.

"Ok, I'm establishing Damon's Official Road Trip Ground Rules." He began ticking things off his fingers. "Rule number one: no talking about Stefan. It's bad enough when he's actually here; I don't want to spend all my free time talking about the bastard. Rule number two: You are here because I saved your ass, don't make me regret it. That's not so much a rule as it is a warning. And rule number three: You are going to enjoy yourself whether you like it or not. You're along for the ride, sweetheart, you might as well make the best of it. And I have a sneaking suspicion that underneath all that angst is a wild child just screaming to let loose. You did say you used to be fun, right?"

"I'm plenty fun," Elena said, crossing her arms. Damon simply raised his eyebrows. "Well… I _can_ be fun. When I'm not constantly scared for my life," she amended, pointedly.

"Ok, so then it's a deal. I don't kill you - or threaten to kill you, I suppose - and you let your proverbial hair down." He held out his hand.

"Deal," Elena said, shaking his proffered hand.

"Alright then," Damon said, rolling back onto the highway and picking up speed. He cranked up the radio. Elena rolled down her window a bit and felt the wind on her face. She smiled. Maybe a day off wouldn't be so bad after all. She pushed all her anxiety about her relationship with Stefan out of her mind and focused on the here and now. She was reasonably sure she could trust Damon; after all, he seemed to actually care if she lived or died. There must be some humanity left in him. And she couldn't remember the last time she wasn't constantly obsessing over her responsibilities, whether it was reassuring Aunt Jenna that she was doing a good job as the head of the household or making sure Jeremy didn't fall into oblivion. She wasn't going to worry about Bonnie's burgeoning abilities or Caroline's petty social games or even protecting Matt's feelings. Out here nobody knew or cared about the Elena Gilbert story, and no one hated - or even knew - Damon.

Elena was satisfied with her inner monologue. She had reconciled herself to the idea of being carefree, up for whatever adventure Damon was leading her to. A small voice in the back of her mind kept asking if she knew what she was getting herself into, but really… what's the worst that could happen?

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_**Author's note: Already have the first several chapters written, just want to edit them to perfection for you. But like everyone else, I'm sure reviews will inspire me to speed up the frequency of posting... ;)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

**_Author's note: Ok, well, with five more chapters (so far) sitting around, I can't make you wait for no reason. Thanks for the reviews - I know I didn't give y'all much to work with. Hopefully this next bit will whet your appetite._**

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**Chapter 2**

"We're heere!" Damon said in a sing-song voice, parallel parking and rolling his shoulders before turning off the engine.

Elena looked around. "Where's here?" She peered up and down what seemed to be a typical side street of small-town America.

"Bree's," he said simply, getting out of the car.

Elena stepped out of the car and followed Damon's gaze across the street.

"A bar? We drove through three states to go to some bar?" She walked around the car and joined him as he leaned against the driver's door.

"It's not just 'some bar,'" Damon said with air quotes. "Give me some credit. Come on," he said, taking her elbow and guiding her across the street.

"You do realize I don't remotely look 21, right?" Elena said, quickening her steps to match his.

"Oh yeah, should have brought your fake ID… oh, wait, don't need it," Damon said with a pointed look.

Elena rolled her eyes. It seems she was doing a lot of that whenever she was around Damon. He held the door open and she walked in; she supposed he would just compel anyone who questioned her legal age.

"So choose your poison," Damon said as they situated themselves at the bar.

"Hmm…" Elena said, pretending to consider her options. "How about a… Coke?" she said with a huge smile.

"I think you forgot the 'Jack and,' Miss Gilbert," Damon said.

"Ohh no. I've got an empty stomach and no vervain, remember? I may be running the risk of being compelled by you, but I'm sure as hell not going to add alcohol to this equation," Elena said.

Damon sighed. "Fine, be boring. You and Stefan are perfect for each other. You can sit at home and drink your tea and talk about your feelings," he mocked.

Elena glared at him. That widening thing that he did with his eyes for emphasis was starting to bug her even though it simultaneously made her tingle a little bit. Must be the whole light eyes and dark hair combination. Damn him. And apparently she wasn't the only one affected by his charms; the Amazonian bartender was devouring him with her eyes. Elena shrank a bit in her seat. This woman seriously looked like she could take her.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the prodigal boyfriend," said the bartender.

"Bree, babe, it's been too long," Damon said, standing and opening his arms in a friendly gesture. She stepped into his arms and delivered a searing kiss. And then slapped the hell out of him.

"Twenty years too long," she said, staring him down. Her stance abruptly shifted from offensive to relaxed as she sashayed back around the bar, tossing a wink over her shoulder, apparently to show that there weren't any hard feelings. Elena's jaw dropped. Damon drove all this way with her in tow just to see an old girlfriend?

Bree walked back behind the bar. "First round's on me. I need a little something to prepare me for what I'm sure is going to be a hell of a good story." She poured three shots. "Cheers!"

Elena shot a worried glance to Damon who, with superhuman speed (naturally) downed her shot as well as his before Bree set down her glass. He winked so fast she almost missed it.

"So, Damon, where have you been, honey?" Bree said, waiting for his story.

"Around. Had some business to take care of," he said vaguely.

"Mm-hm," Bree said, raising an eyebrow. She turned to Elena. "Tell me, girl, how well does he take care of your business, hm?" Elena blushed deeply. "I thought so. A hundred and forty years of practice ought to be good for something."

Elena somehow found her voice. "Oh, we're not -"

"- sure what we want to order," Damon interrupted, tossing an arm around her shoulders. "We're a bit peckish. What do you recommend?"

Bree shook her head. "Well for your little lady, I recommend the burger. Basic and satisfying. As for you, I say stick to the tequila. I like my staff and I don't need any customers disappearing, you got that?" Her tone was light but her meaning was clear.

"You know what, I'll have a burger too. Variety is the spice of life, no?"

"Coming right up," Bree said, disappearing into the kitchen.

Elena shrugged off Damon's arm. "Great, now she thinks we're… you know."

Damon smirked. "What? Sleeping together? Dear, sweet Elena. I never had you pegged for a prude."

"I'm not a prude," she said indignantly. "But you're not my boyfriend."

"That's right, that dubious honor goes to my sad sack brother." He watched her scowl. "Or… does it?"

"I don't know anymore," Elena said honestly. She sighed. After the last several months of trauma and near-depression, the last thing she needed was to neurotically obsess over a boyfriend with possibly even more issues than her. "You know what?" she said, sitting up a little straighter. "I think I do need a little Jack in my Coke after all."

"That's the spirit!" Damon said, jovially smacking the bar with an open palm. "A few more of those and you'll be ready for a little Damon in your Elena."

"Shut up," she said, resisting the urge to snicker. She settled for punching his arm.

"Ok, what is it with you and this jacket? I'm going to place it out of harm's way in case you're one of those violent drunks." Damon slid out of his jacket and tossed it on the barstool next to him. Elena tried not to notice how the shirt underneath was just tight enough to show every movement of his muscles. What was it with those Salvatore brothers? When you turned into a vampire, did you automatically get a killer body and insane muscular definition?

"For your information, I'm so not a violent drunk," Elena said, tossing her hair.

"Oh yeah? Are you a horny drunk?" Damon said with an eyebrow wiggle.

"Let's just say I'm a fun drunk," Elena hinted. She hadn't partied in so long she'd practically forgotten what it was like.

"Well there's only one way to find out," Damon said, smiling in thanks as Bree slid two burger plates in front of them. "Two beers, please." He was looking forward to finding out just how fun Elena could be…

An hour later, Elena barely noticed Damon stride over from his intense conversation with Bree in the corner. Elena was currently winning a game of pool - at least, she thought she was winning. She hoped she was stripes but she wasn't entirely sure. She noted somewhere in her dimmed brain that he didn't look too happy and Bree seemed ruffled as she started to wash out some glasses.

"Damon, why are you so sad?" Elena said, jutting out her lower lip. "You need a hug." She tossed her arms around a surprised Damon whose face morphed from irritated to amused.

"Thanks for that," he said dryly. "So am I right in concluding that you've continued drinking without me?"

"Just a few shots with my new best friend - I'm sorry, sweetie, what was your name?" she said, turning to her erstwhile pool teammate.

"Kyle."

"Right, Kyle. We've been kicking ass and taking names," she said proudly, leaning on her pool cue.

"Yeah, too bad you can't remember his," Damon chuckled. Kyle glared at him.

"You want another round?" Kyle asked the table, though his eyes remained fixed on Elena. He was answered with a resounded yes from the entire group and headed to the bar.

"I think Kyle wants you," Damon noted. He also noticed that when Elena had leaned on her pool cue, she got a bit of blue chalk on her cheek. He found himself reaching over and wiping it off with his thumb, a move that surprised him. Elena held her breath as she looked into his eyes, the mere gesture of his thumb rendering her speechless. She was sure he had compelled her because all the noise around her faded into the background until she heard her name being called several times in a row.

"Elena! Do you want your shot or not?" Kyle said impatiently.

"Oh! Yeah," she said, blushing. "Bottoms up!" she said, tossing back the shot glass and downing it in one swallow. "God, I missed this!" she slurred. She wondered why she hadn't partied in so long. She noticed that someone changed the song in the jukebox. "I love this song!" she crowed, starting to move to the music. Damon smirked; she was definitely on the road to wasted, if not already there. She tripped over her own feet and Damon reflexively caught her before she could fall flat on her face.

"Ok, first things first, we're taking away the long stick before you hurt yourself or others," Damon said, taking the pool cue out of her hands and tossing it to one of her fellow pool players.

"Don't take away the stick, Damon," she said suggestively. "I'm not done playing with it."

Damon blinked. Was she flirting? Stefan's doe-eyed little Elena, making sexual innuendos?

"Tell you what, why don't we get out of here and I'll let you play with my stick?" He used his best sexy face on her, waiting to see if she took the bait.

Elena giggled. "I don't think Kyle would like that. He's quite protective you know." Damon lifted his eyes and stared down Kyle who shrunk immediately into the company of his friends. Kyle wouldn't be giving him any trouble, though he did file him away for a midnight snack option.

"I think he'll be fine," Damon smirked. "You, on the other hand -"

"I need to pee," Elena announced. "Be right back."

Damon shook his head as he watched her go. Maybe she wasn't so boring after all. He leaned against the wall and waited for Elena's return, trying to work out a secondary plan in his head. If he didn't have the crystal, how the hell was he going to get back into that tomb? There had to be another way. Five minutes passed, then ten, and he began to get worried about Elena. He headed to the bathrooms.

"Elena?" he called, knocking on the door. When he didn't get a response, he got suspicious. "Elena?" he asked again, knocking louder. "Ok, heads up ladies, man coming in." He opened the door to find an empty bathroom. He narrowed his eyes. He left the bar, looking out into the night. "Elena?" he called.

"Damon! Oof, get off me," he heard. Damon flew around the side of the building into the alleyway… right into a stake.

"Damon, no!" Elena shrieked. She watched as someone beat up Damon with inhuman speed and agility. She gasped when he began pouring gasoline all over and around Damon.

"Why are you doing this?" she cried.

"He killed her! And for that he deserves to die," the man said, dumping the last of the gasoline from the can.

"Who?" Elena pressed.

"Lexi!" he said, anguish pouring from his voice.

"You were Lexi's boyfriend?" Elena said, wonder evident in her voice.

"I was her soulmate!" he corrected harshly.

Elena tried to think through the alcohol-induced haze. "But… Lexi was good. She wouldn't want you to do this," she insisted. That was enough to give him pause. She steadied herself and started walking toward him. "I met her, and I won't pretend to know her as well as you or Stefan did, but I know she was good, and I know she wouldn't want you to be like him. Be better than him. For Lexi." She waited, hoping her words at least stirred something in him. He backed away from Damon and dropped the gas can. "Please," she begged. He looked at her and shook his head, clearly a broken man.

"He's lucky to have you. I don't know that I'd say the same for you." He took one last look at Damon, writhing on the ground before speeding away. Elena ran to his side.

"Are you ok?" she breathed, looking him over. She wasn't sure exactly how to check vampires for wounds, nor would she know what to do if she found any.

"I will be," Damon grunted. She wordlessly helped him up.

"It's dangerous for you to be soaked in gas like this. You need to shower or something," she said.

"Lucky for us I recall seeing a seedy motel just down the street," Damon said, starting to walk away with a slight limp. He pulled something out of his thigh and shook out his leg, walking a bit taller. Elena cringed and followed him. She had difficulty walking in a straight line and found she couldn't remember exactly how many shots she had… she lost count at five. Before she knew it, they were in the lobby of an exceptionally below-average motel. She watched as Damon did his thing and the manager handed over a key card. They walked in silence to the room and Elena bit back a comment when Damon opened the door to reveal a room with a king sized bed. She instead focused on the surroundings.

"Is this motel safe, do you think?" she asked, worried, the door clicking shut behind her.

Damon laughed, one incredulous bark. "Seriously?"

"What?" Elena said defensively. "This just doesn't look like a great part of town."

Damon shook his head in wonder. "You're locked in a room with a blood-sucking vampire and you're worried about the neighbors. Unreal."

Elena got mad. He was killing her buzz. "Whatever. You need a shower." She sniffed her sleeve to find that she smelled a bit like gasoline herself. Gross.

"If you insist," Damon said with a smirk. He peeled off his shirt in one languid motion and kicked off his shoes. He began to unbuckle his belt.

"No!" Elena shrieked, covering her eyes.

"What? You said I needed a shower. Did you change your mind?" He sauntered over to her.

Elena peeked through her hand. He was definitely invading her personal space. She was very… aware of him. "Uh… no, it's just that, uh, I need one, too." She held her breath as Damon stepped right up to her, using his nose to trace an invisible line from her shoulder to her neck.

"You are so right," he said, his voice low in her ear. She shivered. She gasped when his hands encircled her waist and slowly pulled up the hem of her shirt. She flinched but found herself raising her arms and allowing him to slowly pull the shirt up and off, tossing it on the floor. She told herself it was the alcohol, erasing her inhibitions and telling her that it was perfectly normal and acceptable to shed clothes tainted by gasoline. She also found herself studying Damon's face, looking for signs that he was compelling her.

"Relax," he said, a lazy smile on his face. "I won't bite," he said with a wink. Elena let out a nervous laugh. Only Damon would joke at a time like this. Maybe he was testing her, seeing how far she would let him take things. Well, two could play that game.

"I know you won't. And you aren't compelling me, right?" she said, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well now that would take all the fun out of it. Besides, I don't need to cheat, do I?" Damon said, his eyes twinkling. He knew he was playing with her but he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was to piss off Stefan. Maybe he secretly did see her as a substitute for Katherine. Maybe he just wanted her, no rationalization or justification required. The attraction was there - it was palpable in the small room. He could smell her arousal, and he was sure that she could feel his. But if they crossed this line, history would repeat itself in the worst way. That is, if he allowed himself to care. Which he surely wouldn't…

Elena was oblivious to his inner monologue. She just wanted to wipe that smug look off his face. Damon was used to using others for his entertainment; she thought she'd return the favor.

"So I suppose we'll just have to fight over who gets to shower first," she said, fortified by liquid courage. She backed away from Damon and sauntered around him, dropping first her bra and then the rest of her clothes as she went into the bathroom.

Damon stood slack jawed for a moment. He did not anticipate that move. He grinned and shed the rest of his clothes, following her into the shower...

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**_Author's note: Ok, so I know I'm evil for leaving you hanging. Again. But the best is yet to come... (Pun intended.) Please review and review honestly - make sure I keep them in character and still deliver the sexy goodness we all wish would happen on the show. Besides, reviews let me know you guys want this drivel to continue. :)_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

**_Author's note: You know, I _could_ have made you wait for this. After all, the anticipation is just as delicious. However, who am I to deny anyone naked Damon? Read on!_**

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**Chapter 3**

Elena didn't know what she had expected. That was the problem with letting tequila make all her decisions. She turned the hot water on in the shower and stepped in, making sure all the toiletries were placed properly. She closed her eyes and counted to three… no Damon. She let out a huge sigh of relief and faced the spray, letting the water cascade over her face and hair. She reached for the shampoo.

"Allow me," she heard from behind. She gave a little jump and her eyes flew open. She could feel Damon pressed up behind her as he reached around her for the little bottle of shampoo. She didn't dare turn around. Somehow that would make it real, and this couldn't possibly be real. She bit back a moan as Damon sank his fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp and running his hands all the way down through her hair, careful not to make contact with the rest of her body. He smirked behind her back. Round one to Damon. The little minx didn't think he would call her bluff. She didn't realize that she was playing with fire. He resisted the urge to place his hands anywhere else. The next move would have to be hers.

"Now, turn around for the rinse," he commanded.

Elena swallowed thickly. She mustered her courage and turned around slowly, keeping her eyes closed as she felt Damon's… oh, she couldn't even verbalize it in her mind… but she definitely felt the one place where his body was touching hers. She didn't see him smiling as he rinsed her hair in the spray. He was amused at her inability to decide what to do with her hands. They were currently balled up into fists at her side.

"All done," he said.

Elena wasn't sure what came next… she opened her eyes and stared into his face, willing herself not to let her eyes stray downward.

"My turn, don't you think?" he said mischievously.

"Um… yeah," Elena said weakly. He picked up the shampoo bottle and shook it a bit before offering it to her. She took it and tentatively began to shampoo his hair. She felt a little ridiculous but didn't know what else to do. She got lost in the texture of his hair, taking the rare opportunity to run her fingers through it. He kept his eyes dutifully closed, hands braced on his hips. She realized somewhere in the haze of alcohol and steam that her hands had stilled their movements and she abruptly cleared her throat and dropped her hands. "Uh… time to rinse," she said, wondering when her voice began to sound so husky. She wasn't sure what to do next. She could walk backwards underneath the water and end up trapped against the wall, or they'd have to switch spots which would potentially necessitate the touching of way more body parts. It was a lose-lose situation…or a win-win. In the end, Damon made the decision for her. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Her heartbeat sped up and she grasped his shoulders for support as he turned them around. He kept one arm loosely around her while the other hand quickly rinsed and shook out his hair. Elena watched in fascination and took a moment to realize that she had never showered with a guy before. She was no virgin, it's true, but never had she experienced a more erotic moment. Her cheeks reddened as she noticed that her hands were still firmly grasping Damon's shoulders.

"Better wash off the rest of that gas, hmm?" Damon said, reaching for the soap.

"Yep," Elena said, words beyond her reach at the moment. She let go of his shoulders and took a step back as he grabbed a washcloth and cleaned up. She was mesmerized by the movement of the washcloth as it trailed over his abs and other even more delicious parts of his body. He was clean before she knew it and had a slightly predatory look to his face.

"Now, you," he said simply. Elena closed her eyes and pressed her lips together as he began lathering her up. He started with her arms and reached underneath to soap up her back. He slowly drew his hands along her sides and grazed the undersides of her breasts. She gasped as he teased her, avoiding her breasts and applying soap everywhere else. Her collarbone, her stomach, her ribcage. When he returned to the spot just underneath her breasts she bit her lip and shifted slightly so he was forced to cup them. She held back a moan as he began massaging her breasts under the flimsy pretext of washing. Little did she know that she was testing his self control as well. It was damned hard - pun completely intended - for him to keep his promise to himself and not take her here and now. He wasn't sure why, but he was resolute in the knowledge that she would have to make the first move. He couldn't take it any more and slid his hands back down. He knew her eyes would remain closed but he couldn't resist a smirk as she tensed. He soaped down one leg and up the other, again avoiding the source of her clear arousal. She instinctively gripped his shoulders as he switched them back, angling her underneath the spray of water as he rinsed her off. He mirrored his movements earlier, retracing his path with one small difference. He dipped one finger between her legs, earning a high-pitched squeak from Elena and he slowly drew his finger across her wetness. She opened her eyes just in time to see him raise his finger to his lips, sucking off her juice as if it were the sweetest blood. She thought she might faint then and there, but he turned the water off.

"All done," he said again. He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, tossing her a second one. He toweled off and exited the bathroom, leaving her trembling from heat rather than cold. He hopped into bed and flipped channels as he heard her drying her hair with the built-in hair dryer. She eventually emerged from the bathroom, clinging tightly to the towel wrapped around her.

"I guess there aren't any robes or anything, huh," she said, stating the obvious. Damon just looked at her and returned his attention to the television. She furrowed her brow, trying desperately to think of something. More than anything she just wanted to pass out on the bed, but she had to resolve the clothing situation first. The towel was not an option, but then neither were their clothes, tainted by gasoline. Heaven knows what they were going to do in the morning, though she was sure Damon had some solution in mind.

Damon rolled his eyes at her clear turmoil. "Get over yourself, Elena. We just took a shower together - it's a bit late to get all shy and retiring now."

Elena shot him a dirty look. "Fine," she said, dropping the towel defiantly. She instantly regretted the decision as it gave Damon the ability to ogle her while he was safely stowed between the sheets. She hurried over to the other side of the bed and slipped in. Logically, she knew he would be naked under the bed. But the reality still slightly shocked her. She made sure to stay on her side, sliding as low as possible so at least her breasts weren't visible. Damon's face showed no movement, but inwardly he was laughing at her modesty. Didn't she realize he had all those heightened senses of hearing and smell? He was completely confident in the fact that she wanted him. Well, her body wanted him. Her mind might be a different story.

"So what time do you want to…" he trailed off as he realized within those few short moments she had already passed out. He turned off the television and tossed the remote aside. He glanced over at Elena, brushing a stray lock of hair across her face. He snatched his hand back as if it were burned, trying to erase the moment of tenderness. He sighed. "Well, shit," he said to himself. He turned off the light and willed himself to go to sleep.

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_**Author's note: What do you think? Now I'm sure some of you are A. excited that we got to "see" some naked Damon but B. are mad that it didn't culminate in crazy monkey sex. All I can say is wait for chapter 4... the night isn't over yet! (And again I implore you for more kickass reviews. You guys rock, and every time my Blackberry buzzes I get excited, hoping it's alerting me that yet another review awaits!)**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews, guys! Great (dirty) minds think alike. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for..._**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Elena was running. She was running as fast as possible. She looked behind herself to see who was chasing her. The coast seemed clear when she turned her head back to the road ahead and screamed when she came face-to-face with a man in a hoodie. His face was hidden but she heard the hiss of a vampire before she…

Woke up with a shout in the middle of the night, sweating, sitting up on her elbows. She was breathing heavily and carried the scared emotion with her into the waking world. She looked down and wondered why she wasn't wearing pajamas. She looked around the darkened room and it was unfamiliar to her. Realization dawned when she remembered the evening before, and therefore didn't jump when a hand grasped her arm.

"Elena? Are you ok?" Damon said, concern etched over his usually sarcastic face.

"Damon!" she said, automatically reaching for him for comfort. She supposed it was natural since, in the real life version of the dream, when the hooded vampire was about to get her, Damon appeared magically to swoop in and save the day. She was shaking as she allowed him to hold her.

"Shh, it's ok, you're safe here," he reassured her, his eyes surveying the room - just in case. When his senses were satisfied that they were alone, he spoke. "It was just a nightmare," he said, rubbing her back as she clung to him, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

"I'm sorry, I'm fine now," she said, embarrassed by her outburst. She was suddenly hyper-aware that they were both stark naked, embracing in a king-sized bed. She was also aware that she was practically curled up on Damon's lap and that he was beginning to have the natural male response.

"No worries," he said, attempting nonchalance. He couldn't quite bring himself to let her go, especially once he sensed her arousal building to match his.

"Sorry, I was just dreaming about the man in the hoodie," she confessed. "I guess I'm subconsciously freaking out… what if he comes looking for me again?"

"Well for tonight at least, I'm not going anywhere," Damon said, an unusual protective note in his voice. He was sickening himself - he was starting to sound like Stefan, but, dammit, he couldn't help it. The girl attracted trouble like no other, and fate seemed to cast him as her savior. Damon straightened up at the thought. He kind of liked being her savior. Hero of the day and all that. In that respect he definitely had one up on Stefan.

"Thank you," Elena said, snuggling closer. She couldn't think of a graceful exit from his embrace, and he didn't seem to mind. He absentmindedly stroked her hair as she pressed her cheek to his chest, their legs tangling under the sheets. "You know, I think I like you better like this," she said, her mental filter still loosened by the amount of alcohol in her system.

"Like what?" he asked.

"You make the world think that you're this cold-blooded killer, that there's no humanity left in you the way you dispose of lives or use them like you used Caroline, but I know there's another side to you. This side."

"Really?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "And what exactly is this side?"

He could feel her smile against his skin. "Rescuing the damsel in distress and taking care of her when she's scared. You care, Damon. You don't let a lot of people know it, but you care. You could have killed Stefan ages ago, but you haven't because deep down you know he's family and you know you love him. You could have killed me several different times, yet you've rescued me more than once. You care, Damon."

Damon shook his head. Where did she get all this false hope from? He refused to consider her words. "What if I don't care? What if it's all an act?"

Elena looked up at him. "Because you could have compelled me to do whatever you wanted tonight and you didn't. Don't bluster on and on about how you could have and I would never know… I'd know. And you haven't. You've teased me and taunted me, but you haven't done anything." She was almost miffed. Somewhere in her mind she knew that she was uncharacteristically emboldened by the massive amounts of tequila she'd consumed and that she shouldn't be saying these things, but she couldn't seem to help herself. "Christ, I'm naked and practically lying on you and I can feel you growing as we lay here, but you haven't attempted to seduce me, not really. You want me, but you haven't taken me."

"Then I've been remiss, haven't I?" he growled, flipping them over so he was lying on top her, her legs spread just enough so he was poised at her entrance, yet she didn't have the reaction he expected. He was waiting for her to freak out, to scream or wiggle away or do any number of things, yet she calmly reached up and brushed the hair off his face.

"You don't scare me anymore, Damon. You've never lied to me, and you are brutally honest about who you are to everyone except yourself. You care. And I think that's the one thing that scares you."

Damon just stared at her; he didn't have a glib response ready for that. Elena smiled. "And you know what else? I care, Damon. I care about you."

"Now why should I believe that?" he asked roughly.

"Because I'm going to show you," Elena said. She placed her hands on either side of his face and drew him down to her, placing the gentlest of kisses on his lips. She had no idea why the hell she did that. It just seemed perfectly logical in the moment. He pulled away from the kiss and searched her face for - well, he wasn't sure what for. He tentatively leaned down and kissed her back, gently at first before allowing it to grow more heated. He pulled away once more and grinned at her flushed cheeks.

"Now, was that just a friendly little kiss, between friends to show how much we care about each other?" he teased.

"Damon?" Elena said seriously. "Shut up." She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down, crashing his lips to hers. Confident that she wanted this just as much as he did, he was guilt free as he opened his mouth and demanded entrance into hers. She allowed his tongue to sneak past her lips and slide along her tongue, learning the contours of her mouth and reveling in the taste. She involuntarily moaned at how amazing he felt and wondered why they had never given in to this feeling before this moment... All the banter and the sideways glances seemed to be building up to this. She couldn't help but compare him to Stefan; Stefan was all hesitation and earnestness, but Damon was pure heat and passion. Damon didn't hold back; he didn't have anything to prove. He recognized their attraction for simply what it was: attraction. Elena gasped as he wasted no time in finding every erogenous zone and working them to his favor.

Damon marveled at how she was so clearly not Katherine. He didn't know what he expected, but certainly not this. Katherine seduced him, plain and simple, but Elena seemed unaware of her feminine wiles. She responded to his touch but always let him initiate. She was encouraging yet still had moments of modesty. And Damon loved to tease her whenever possible. He held himself above her, still poised to enter her yet not allowing himself that pleasure quite yet. He smirked as she squirmed beneath him, clearly yearning for that contact yet not bold enough to ask for it. Instead she arched her back until she pressed herself against his chest, her breasts creating a marvelous friction. He found his way back to his own personal kryptonite, the veins pulsing heavily beneath her slender neck. It took everything he had to resist changing, his fangs trying to dart out and nip her as the desire to take her life force battled within him. He instead ghosted kisses along her neck and his lips found their home back on hers.

"Damon…" Elena breathed against his lips. God, that was sexy. And not in that obvious way that Caroline overacted or any other girl who easily succumbed to his charms. It was involuntary and he loved it.

"Damon," she said again, more insistent this time. He chuckled as she wiggled her ass, trying to find the release he was withholding.

"Yes, Elena?" he said, clearly toying with her with a sideways grin.

Elena gave him a pointed look. "You _know_ what, Damon." There was no room in her mind for second thoughts at this point. The remaining alcohol in her system kept her head feeling nice and warm and fuzzy, and rather incoherent. There were no thoughts at all…only feelings. Hazy feelings of pleasure that were annoyingly out of reach.

"Tell me what you want, Elena," he said in a tone that years of practice told him was seductive.

"You know what I want."

"Say it."

Elena sighed, exasperated. She couldn't tell if he was just teasing her for the hell of it, trying to make her uncomfortable, or maybe just giving her one last chance to opt out of what was about to happen. She smiled and shook her head, lifting it off the pillow to whisper in his ear. "Make love to me," she purred.

That was all it took. All at once Damon's lips came crashing down onto hers and he entered her, sliding his entire length into her in one delicious movement. She cried out in a mixture of surprise and pleasure, completely filled with him and satisfied that she got exactly what she asked for. He didn't treat her like a fragile human, though he wasn't too rough with her. He instantly set a rhythm as she wrapped her legs around him, wanting to get as close as possible. She opened her eyes as he drew his lips away and found him looking at her with an intense gaze that she found impossible to break. She wondered what thoughts were swirling behind those eyes but didn't have much time to contemplate anything as she bit her lip and cried out when he changed angles, hitting a miracle spot within her. She saw the smirk automatically forming on his face and couldn't help but laugh. Only Damon would mix a rarely seen tenderness with his own special brand of cockiness at a moment like this. Her laughter quickly turned to moans as she felt the telltale buildup of tension. She began to take deeper breaths and clawed at his shoulder blades without realizing it, eliciting a surprise moan from Damon. The sweat began to build between their bodies as she got closer and closer to her release. Damon noticed every small change in her body and slid one hand down her hip… thigh… then leg, hooking under her knee and pulling it up higher as he quickened his pace. Elena's moans grew louder until she finally cried out with her first orgasm. Damon slowed his movement a bit, allowing her to ride out the waves of her climax. Elena gasped for breath until she finally came down from the high, realizing that Damon was still slowly thrusting in and out.

"Mmmm… thank you," she said, kissing his cheek and down his jawline until she met his lips.

"Any time," he smirked. She was full of surprises… who else would thank him for something that should have been expected? He wondered if Stefan… ew, ok, no thinking about his brother during sex. Instant mojo killer. He focused on Elena who seemed to be recovered, beginning to meet his movements again. "You turn to lead," he said, flipping them over so that he was now lying against the bed, Elena straddling him. She gave him a brief questioning look but said nothing, beginning to move up and down as he guided her hips. One he was confident she was setting her own rhythm, he moved his hands up along her sides, drawing them forward to cup her breasts. Elena moaned and tossed her hair back. It was involuntary but turned Damon on like nothing else. He moved his hands to tangle in her hair, roughly drawing her face to his and claiming her mouth. Elena slid her hands around his neck, never losing her rhythm and meeting every kiss with equal fervor. Damon kissed down her neck and between her breasts, his hand still tangled in her hair. Elena braced her hands on his shoulders and his mouth moved first to one breast, then the other.

"Oh my God…" she cried as the combination of his mouth on her breasts and the renewed buildup of friction from riding him sent her into her second orgasm. She couldn't remember ever having two orgasms so close together before. She closed her eyes and slowed almost to a standstill as her inner walls contracted around Damon. He simply watched her ride out her orgasm, his eyes on her face as her cheeks flushed. He felt her breasts heaving against his chest as she leaned on him, pressing kisses wherever she landed. Damon sensed that her energy was waning and he flipped her back over, her head resting comfortably once more on the pillow. He started thrusting extremely slowly, taking his time, one hand running down her chest and the other braced against her head. This might be the only time she let him do this, and he was determined to make it last as long as possible, or at the very least, make it memorable. He leaned down and gave her a lazy kiss, feeling her smile against his lips. He started to pick up the pace incrementally and noted that her kisses grew hungrier. Her hands held the sides of his face, and when he began to get faster and faster, she allowed him to break the kiss, instead sliding her hands down his chest and wrapping around his back. Damon knew he wasn't going to last much longer and wasn't sure he could bank on her having yet another orgasm, but he was sure as hell going to try. He maintained eye contact and silently willed her not to break it. Somehow she must have understood, because she never took her eyes off of his. He leaned back and grabbed both of her ankles, lifting them and propping them up on his shoulders. He resisted the urge to smirk as her eyes widened and her breathing quickened. He refrained from holding back at this point, leaning forward and enjoying the look of surprise on her face when he slid one hand between them and began rubbing her clit in tiny circles. Elena was going crazy - the combination of his constantly hitting her g-spot with the external stimulation, not to mention the crazy sexy look he was giving her, God, those eyes… That sent her over the edge and she shouted out as she had the most intense orgasm of her life. Damon finally allowed himself release as he met her orgasm with his, emptying himself deep within her. With the last few strokes, his eyes never left hers, and he came to rest, still inside her. They were both gasping for breath, the sweat on their bodies just beginning to cool. Damon slid her legs back down and brushed aside a few drenched strands of hair from her forehead. Elena gave him a languid smile and pulled him down for a kiss. He started to move to lay beside her but she held him in place.

"Don't move… not yet," she said, holding him still, his full body weight pressing down on hers. She closed her eyes and held him in a version of a hug, reveling in the sense of comfort and safety and the strong connection. Normally, Damon was not one to let any female force him to engage in anything remotely resembling cuddling, but he couldn't deny that there was a small sense of pride in the fact that Elena didn't want to let go of him, still wanted him inside her. Take that, little brother. He actually began to feel himself growing inside her again and mock-thrusted. He felt Elena laugh against him.

"No more, I don't think I have the energy," she said. She allowed him to finally roll off of her, pulling out and laying beside her. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised when she automatically curled up beside him, sliding one leg over to tangle between his and sneaking an arm across his chest, tucking her head into the crook of his neck with a satisfied sigh. He looked down at her, not quite sure what to do. He settled for one hand behind his head and the other wrapped around her. She shivered, so he pulled the sheets up over them, tucking them up to her shoulder before returning his arm around her. He leaned his cheek on her hair and listened as her breathing changed, settling into sleep. He stared at the ceiling for a bit. He wanted to tell himself that this just happened and there was no reason for it to affect his plans in any way, but he knew it changed things. He didn't know how Elena fit in to his grand scheme anymore… he smiled; he knew it would piss off Stefan if he found out about their little tryst. He frowned. What if Elena didn't want it to be a one night stand? He looked at her and couldn't help but smile as she made a noise in her sleep and burrowed deeper into his neck. Dammit. He didn't want to care. His whole philosophy was built on not caring. Caring led to trusting which led to betrayal. Still, he had a hard time imagining Elena betraying anyone she cared about. Of course, she did essentially just cheat on Stefan. With his own brother. But maybe she wasn't going to be with Stefan anymore. Damon sighed. This was getting too complicated. Best not to overthink things. Enjoy whatever and don't let it deter him from his plans. At any rate, it should make for one hell of a morning after…

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_**Author's note: There you go, folks. Hope it lived up to your expectations. Reviews are appreciated as constructive feedback will only make this story better with each chapter. And there's a whole lot yet to happen, so let me know if you're enjoying the journey!**_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.

_**Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! They make my day and inspire me to post updates quicker. So without further delay, I bring you the morning (and day) after...**_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Elena woke up slowly as beams of light slipped through the crack between the motel room curtains. She yawned and closed her eyes, snuggling deeper into her pillow, not yet ready to wake up fully. Her eyes flew open when she realized that although her head was on a pillow per usual, she was buck naked. Also, there was the small matter of a hand casually draped over her breast, holding it as if it belonged to him…

Events from last night came rushing back to her. The impromptu road trip, the bar, the multiple tequila shots… and then the best sex of her life. With Damon. Stefan's brother and fellow vampire. A man who had killed several of her acquaintances and attempted to kill a few of her friends. Also a man who made her come with amazing frequency. She felt really conflicted. And a bit hung over. Still, she couldn't deny that it felt damn good to wake up to his naked body pressed to hers. She also felt a little maniacal laugh building at the fact that Damon spooned. She'd have to file that away for mocking later if he ever decided to tease her. As she shook in silent laughter, she felt him stir behind her. More specifically, her behind felt him stirring…

"And good morning to you, too," he said. God, she loved that he had sex-voice. It was all husky and sensual and… she had to stop thinking like that.

"Good morning," she said to the wall. She wasn't quite ready to literally face him. Apparently that didn't bother him, because he greeted her with a kiss to the neck before tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue. She shivered and automatically leaned into him, reveling in his warmth and long, hard lines. She gasped as he cheekily pinched a nipple and continued his oral ministrations.

"I can think of a better way to say 'good morning,'" he said mischievously. He didn't give her time to respond before he lifted her leg and entered her in one swift motion.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. After very little deliberation, she decided that she liked surprise morning sex. She let go and enjoyed the sensation as he fucked her slowly, letting his hands wander over her body like he had all the time in the world. She began to wake up more as he expertly played her body like an instrument, taking what seemed like forever to simply enjoy her. Her body began to hum as his hand slipped lower and lower, finally finding her clit and continuing to move maddeningly slow. The tension that had been building so slowly suddenly exploded and was made all the more intense for its deliberately slow stoking. As she contracted around him, she sent Damon into his own climax. His hands stilled their motion and he gripped her hard as he pumped out his release. She felt him relax behind her and slowly pull out. He held her as before; Elena didn't know what to say. She had no idea how to deal with what had just happened and didn't know where they stood. Was she cheating on Stefan? Was she even with Stefan? Did this mean that it would be Elena and Damon now, not Elena and Stefan? Or was it a one night stand to him? Or just a way to get at Stefan? Or… her head hurt at all the possibilities. Only one way to deal with it… avoidance.

She sat up and tried not to blush at her nudity or the look in his eyes. "Well, I have to… um… take care of human things," she said with a sideways grin. "Be back in a minute." She hurried out of bed and into the bathroom to relieve herself. She washed her hands and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She pushed her hair away from her face and tried to smooth it behind her shoulders. She definitely had that I-just-had-amazing-sex glow. She searched the countertop for the complimentary toothbrush and toothpaste and vigorously brushed her teeth. She told herself it was just part of her morning routine, but secretly she wanted to be minty-fresh in case there was kissing in her future. She actually wondered how fresh the rest of her was. She finished brushing her teeth and cracked open the bathroom door.

"Hey, Damon?"

"Yup," he said, flipping channels.

"I think I'm going to take a shower if that's ok." She had no idea why she was nervous; that sentence came out all kinds of shaky.

Damon looked at her. "Is that an invitation?" he asked, grinning at her obvious discomfort.

Elena blushed. "It's… uh… an announcement, I guess." Completely embarrassed, she closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower. She wondered if he would join her again. She was almost disappointed when he didn't. She hurried through her shower and toweled off, drying her hair and finally emerging from the bathroom. She found Damon sitting on the bed, fully clothed in a new outfit. She saw that there were clothes laid out next to him, apparently intended for her.

"From the shop down the street," he explained simply. Elena raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked.

"How did you… I mean, I wasn't in there that long."

Damon rolled her eyes. "Honestly. You'd think you never met a vampire before. There's a little thing called superhuman speed."

"Ok, ok." Elena said. "Thanks for the clothes." She decided not to ask how exactly he procured them when in all likelihood he had left the room either naked or in a towel. She hurried over and dressed as quickly as she could, a sudden rush of modesty taking over. It was at that moment that her stomach grumbled loudly eliciting a smirk from Damon.

"Want to get breakfast?" he asked dryly.

"Surely that's rhetorical," she replied.

"Let's go," he said, slinging his jacket over his shoulder and leading the way.

* * *

Elena sighed and looked at her watch, wondering when Damon was going to return to the car. He said he had private business to attend to at Bree's bar, so she opted to wait in the car. She used the time to think of several opening lines to discuss what happened. Breakfast was pretty silent. She wasn't sure if it was a comfortable silence or because neither of them knew what to say. She practiced different conversation starters in her head. Damon, about last night… too cliché. Where do we stand? Too needy. Great sex, huh? Too direct. What am I to you? Again with the needy. Damon, we need to talk. Too relationshippy. Damon, I can't get pregnant, right? Too scary. She jumped a little in her seat when he got back in the car. Wordlessly he started the engine and pulled out onto the road. A few minutes later and they were on the highway.

"So…" Elena said.

"So," he parroted. God he could be irritating.

"Um, did you get everything straightened out at the bar?"

"Oh, I just had to say goodbye to Bree."

"Oh," Elena said uneasily. She remembered Bree greeting Damon with a kiss when they walked into the bar… she wondered what the goodbye entailed.

"Don't worry. Our goodbye was nothing like _our_ good morning," he smirked. It was as if he could read her mind. Damn him.

She chose to ignore the bait. "So are we headed back home now?"

"Yeah. I got what I came for."

Elena didn't know what to make of that comment. Did he mean whatever he talked to Bree about? Or was it a veiled reference to sleeping together? She kept silent as he turned the radio on. She stared out the window, thoroughly confused. He hadn't touched her since they woke up. And now they were hardly speaking. She was suddenly irrationally angry at him for not immediately explaining things to her. She snuck a glance at him and found herself irritated by everything he did. Even his sunglasses seemed smug to her. What the hell did vampires need sunglasses for? She huffed and decided to ignore him. If he wasn't bothered, then she wouldn't be either.

Six hours, two bathroom breaks and one drive-thru lunch later, they arrived back in Mystic Falls. Elena was looking forward to getting out of the car. They had gone well over 100 miles per hour for most of the trip, scaring the crap out of her while Damon seemed unaffected. Damon pulled up in front of her house. The minute the car was in park, Elena hopped out, slamming the door in the process. She bit back a scream when she turned around to find Damon standing between her and her front door, hands casually in his jacket pockets as he regarded her with what appeared to be mild curiosity. She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes.

The words flew out of her mouth of their own accord. "So, what, _now _are we gonna talk about what happened last night?" It appeared her brain had chosen the words without consulting her first.

"And this morning," Damon corrected with a wink.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Ok, what happened last night _and_ this morning?"

Damon sighed. Clearly she didn't know what the hell to make of it either. "Look, we don't have to make a big deal about it if you don't want to. You were drunk, and we both know I'm really hot. That can be your excuse. As for me, you were also hot, and willing. So, there you go. This is officially an out for either of us. Call it now and we won't ever have to talk about it again. Well, except to piss off Stefan, because I can't _wait_ to see his face when -"

"Ugh, you're so… ugh!" Elena said, throwing her hands up.

"Thanks. Your eloquence astounds."

She glared at him. "You're incredible, you know that?"

"Yeah, you told me as much last night," he said with a cocky grin.

"I don't mean _that_. I mean you are so egotistical to think that because I had a few drinks I just couldn't resist throwing myself at you. And it's insulting that you would sleep with me just because I was drunk and willing."

"I said you were hot and willing. Slight difference."

"You're impossible. I don't know why I bother," she said, folding her arms across her chest again.

"Well enlighten me. Why _do_ you bother?"

"I shouldn't."

"But you do."

Something inside her snapped. "Well call me crazy, but I care, ok? I don't know if it's a latent bad boy fixation or the fact that you only act decent around me - well, sometimes act decent around me - but for some reason that I can only imagine to be a great cosmic joke, I care about you. I care whether you live or die, happy?"

"Yeah, I think I need to re-explain the whole concept of vampirism to you, you know, the living dead…"

"You know what I mean, jackass."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. You like me," Damon said, slowly approaching her.

"Shut up," Elena said, automatically backing away from him step for step until she bumped against the car.

"See, that's not a negation. That's barely a rebuttal," he said, closer now, effectively trapping her between his body and the car. One hand was braced against the car, the other slipping around her waist.

"I don't like you," she said unconvincingly. "You're mean."

"Oh, but I can be really nice," Damon said, leaning closer, his lips now hovering above hers.

"Only when you want…" her words faded and disappeared into his kiss. She mentally cursed him… and then herself for responding so willingly. She hated herself for giving in so easily, but the heat was palpable now that they'd consummated their long-simmering attraction. One look and everything that he did to her came rushing back. A wink or a smirk that used to annoy her now brought forth memories of his body moving on top of hers, the way he filled her so completely… she really needed to block it out. She found her body responding of its own accord. She didn't remember sliding her arms around his neck. She didn't remember standing on tip toes to press herself closer to him. But there she was, for any Mystic Falls citizen to see, making out with Damon Salvatore like there was no tomorrow. It both thrilled and scared her. She sighed when Damon finally - reluctantly - pulled back, looking into her eyes, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"That was…" she said, dazed.

"Yeah," he smirked.

"Shut up," she said, trying not to smile and lightly punching his stomach.

"Geez, woman, abusive much?" Damon teased.

"I find I tend to lose control around you," she admitted.

"Bah," he said, waving her comment away. "Just tell everyone I'm compelling you. That's what they'll believe anyway."

"Everyone, hm?" Elena said, fishing. "So does that mean you and I are…"

"About to get yelled at by your Aunt Jenna," Damon said, letting her go and facing the house. Elena followed his gaze to find Jenna rushing out of the house.

"Elena Gilbert, you are in so much trouble! You are grounded, young lady," Jenna said, furious.

"Ooh, 'young lady'! I think that's my cue to leave. Later, Elena." Damon sauntered back to the driver's side of the car, hopping in and rolling down the passenger window. "Lovely to see you again, Jenna!" he said, dripping with sarcasm. He winked and drove off.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jenna said, waiting for an explanation.

"Um… didn't you get my text?" Elena stalled. She realized she had no idea what cover story Damon texted to Jenna and Bonnie.

"I did. And then I got a call from Bonnie asking where you were, so I kind of figured you weren't spending the night at her house. She and Stefan have been worried about you. You have a lot of explaining to do, missy!"

"Listen, Jenna, I'm really tired, I'm just going to go upstairs and rest for a bit." Elena started walking back to the house.

Jenna followed her through the front door. "Not until you tell me where you've been and why you weren't answering your phone."

Elena checked her phone and noticed it was set on silent. Probably by Damon after Stefan called the first time. "Sorry. I was… out."

"Out? Out?! That doesn't cut it, Elena. Especially when you come home with a much older guy and you've been gone for two nights," she said pointedly.

Elena ignored the older guy comment, chuckling inwardly at just how much older Damon really was. She finally turned and looked at Jenna from the stairwell. "Look, Jenna, I'm sorry, ok? I know you were worried but I swear I didn't realize my phone was on silent. I just…" She searched for an appropriate excuse. "I just needed to get away from everything. I knew Jeremy was doing better so I didn't have to worry about him, but there's some drama with my friends, and…" she swallowed a lump, "with Stefan, and I just needed to get away. Damon had to go on a business trip and let me tag along." She figured it was safest to stick to the truth to avoid lying. Well, a version of the truth anyway.

"Well it's not appropriate," Jenna said, only slightly mollified.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Jenna, I think you're forgetting that you had a life before you became our guardian, and I got to hear plenty of stories about that life. You know me; I've hardly ever skipped school and I'm a pretty responsible person. I just needed a mini-vacation from my life, okay?"

Jenna thought about it. "I suppose I get that, but I still don't understand why you'd go off with Damon. He doesn't strike me as a guy with honorable intentions."

"Honorable intentions?" Elena repeated. Geez. "Jenna, I promise, Damon didn't try anything with me without my consent, ok? He's not as bad as everyone thinks he is."

"You used to think he was," Jenna pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but that's before I got to know him. He's really not that bad."

Jenna sighed. "Ok. But you're still grounded." She held up her hand to ward off any protests. "Look, you lied and you were _thisclose_ to being filed for a missing persons report, so you're grounded. For… um…" Elena tried not to smile as Jenna attempted the parenting thing, finding a suitable length of time. "Two weeks," she said emphatically.

"Fine," Elena said, knowing she deserved it.

"Ok then. Um… you can go upstairs now."

"Thanks," Elena muttered. She trudged up the stairs. She needed time away from Damon to think, to process what just happened. She opened her bedroom door, just wanting to collapse on her bed. She jumped when she noticed someone standing in the center of her room.

"Stefan!" Oh brother…

* * *

_**Author's note: Dum dum duuuum! This should be interesting... who knows how Stefan will react? Or Elena, for that matter? How much does he know? And how much will she tell him? And what's next for this burgeoning love triangle? Ok, so maybe I know the answers, maybe that chapter's already written... but review and let me know what you think so far - and your theories!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Thanks again for reviewing, folks! Special shout out goes to Jenna (Angel's blue eyed girl) for recommending this fic to her peeps. Does wonders for a girl's self-esteem. ;) And now you can see if your theories were right...**_

_P.S. Slight edit/update. In retrospect, it is a bit difficult to believe that Stefan, even with his weakened powers, couldn't at least smell Damon on her when he hugs her. Fixed now. :)_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Elena! Thank God you're alright," Stefan said, taking two large steps and closing the distance between them. He pulled her into a tight hug.

Elena instantly relaxed into his embrace. It was comfortable and he smelled so warm and familiar and… it was wrong.

"Stefan, no," Elena said, extricating herself from his arms.

"I know you're upset," Stefan started.

"Upset? Hell yeah, I'm upset. Stefan, how could you? All this time, and not a damn word!" She started pacing her bedroom angrily.

"Just let me explain," Stefan pleaded.

Elena shook her head. "I don't know what you could say that would change anything. I look exactly like her, Stefan. Not just 'oh, look, she kind of has the same nose as Katherine' or, 'hey, they have the same color eyes.' _Exactly_ like her. That can't be a coincidence and neither can our relationship."

"Ok, I'm not going to pretend that I know why you look like her. I have my theories but I haven't been able to pursue them, and I'd love to explain them if you'll let me. But you're not Katherine and I know that. My feelings for Katherine faded long ago, unlike Damon's. My feelings for you are different, more real… Elena, I love you."

Elena sighed, feeling torn. On the one hand, she had just proclaimed her love for Stefan less than 72 hours ago, and that wasn't a feeling she could just turn on and off. On the other hand, it was hard to believe him after the discovery of the picture. And, admittedly, hooking up with Damon had thrown her for a curve. An embarrassing and potentially dangerous curve. Her head began to pound; was it possible to get a delayed hangover?

"Look, Stefan, I'm really tired and I think I just need to sleep on it, ok? Are you going to be in school tomorrow?"

Stefan furrowed his brow. "Tomorrow is Saturday."

"Oh, right. Well… maybe I'll call you. Or maybe I'll just see you Monday."

"Ok," Stefan said, accepting her need for space. He turned to leave out the window, but paused, looking like he wasn't sure he wanted to say what was on his mind. He could clearly smell Damon all over her and could hear her erratic heartbeat, but wasn't sure what it meant. "Damon didn't… hurt you, did he?"

Elena glared at him. "_Damon_ didn't." She hadn't meant for it to sound as harsh as it came out, but the implication was clear, and Stefan felt her full meaning. Damon wasn't the one with the power to break her heart; Stefan was. And he cursed himself for hurting her even a little bit. He looked down and cleared his throat. "Here… please at least wear the necklace again," he said, holding out the vervain necklace. "I'm afraid we're not the only vampires in town right now, and this will protect you. Please, Elena," he pleaded.

She couldn't help but feel bad for him - the pain was evident in his voice, and from what she could tell he was oblivious to what went down between her and Damon. Great, now she had a guilt complex. "Sure," she said, accepting the proffered necklace. He stayed long enough to watch her clasp it around her neck before disappearing silently out her window. Elena walked over to the window and looked out into the night, but all she could see was darkness. She sighed and flopped down on her bed. Her emotions were jumbled and she didn't know what she felt anymore… or for whom. She considered going downstairs to get a sandwich, but the prospect of going round two with Jenna was not looking too fun. She decided to call Bonnie. She needed a somewhat impartial third party as a sounding board. She opened her eyes to search for her phone and promptly shrieked in surprise.

"I thought he'd _never _leave," Damon said in a bored tone. Elena rolled her eyes at the form laying beside her. With both hands behind his head, he looked as if he had been reclining there for hours, not seconds.

"God, why do you do that? Can't you knock like a normal person?"

"Um, Elena, I don't know if you missed it somewhere between saving your ass and tapping your ass, but I'm not a normal person."

"Good grief…" Elena said, too embarrassed to get into it with him. "So what are you doing here, anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he said with a lascivious smile.

"Not really," she said, stalling for time.

"Hm. Ok. Well, I'll break it down for you. See, contrary to all logic, I like you, maybe enough to put my diabolical plan on hold." He paused for a beat. "Ok, probably not, but we'll see about that. And you, you like me, despite the fact that you've been dating my blasé brother for reasons unknown to the sane."

"Why do you like me?" she asked suspiciously.

Damon shrugged against her comforter. "You… intrigue me. On the outside you're all sweetness and light but inside you are one feisty woman. Plus, there's that thing you do with your hips when -"

Elena's eyes widened and she threw her hand over his mouth to stop the next words from coming out. "Ok, ok. So you like me."

Damon chuckled. Elena withdrew her hand and regarded him with curiosity.

"So that doesn't explain why you're here," she said.

"Dear Elena," Damon said, hooking a finger through one of her belt loops and pulling her closer on the bed. "If you don't know, you're not as smart as I thought."

Elena held her breath as Damon pulled her into a fiery kiss. She wasn't sure how she could explain this one now that they were both sober and back to reality, but the minute his lips touched hers all she seemed to crave was more. She felt the vervain necklace press into her collarbone as he pulled her even closer and knew that she couldn't even pretend that he was compelling her. Elena had to finally acknowledge the fact that she was attracted to Damon Salvatore. And there was only one thing to do about it. Give in. She didn't allow herself to think as she gave in to the whirlwind of sensations Damon stirred in her. And she could already tell that this time would be nothing like their first time, nor would it be like the lazy morning sex they had earlier either. Elena momentarily freaked when she realized that this would be the third time she slept with Damon in a twenty-four hour period. She wasn't sure if that made her a slut or a sex goddess. Either way, she didn't care. She slipped her hands underneath Damon's shirt and roamed his back as they lay side by side on her bed. His muffled moan warmed her. She secretly liked the fact that she had the tiniest bit of power over the unflappable Damon. She helped him shrug off his leather jacket, neither of them breaking their kiss to do so. She clung to him hungrily as he quickly cast aside their shoes and socks, skipping his own belt to focus on getting rid of her pants. Anxious to feel his naked body pressed against hers once more, Elena shimmied out of her pants, gasping at Damon's touch the moment she kicked them off. He didn't even wait to remove her panties, instead sliding his hand inside and plunging his fingers into her waiting wetness. Her hands gripped his shoulders as her hips began moving against his fingers, meeting them thrust for thrust.

"Need… you…" she managed to get out, reaching down between them and undoing his belt. He stopped his ministrations and helped her pull off his pants and boxers. They simultaneously shed their shirts and Damon, in a flash of impatience and brute strength, literally ripped off her bra.

He made a brief noise of regret. "Sorry."

"Don't care," Elena said, launching herself back into his arms.

"Mmm," he hummed in approval, running his hands through her hair and down her body, rolling her onto her back as he wasted no time in parting her legs and sliding inside her.

"Oh God…" she breathed.

"Thanks, but you can call me Damon," he said with a smirk.

Normally Elena would tell him to shut up, but frankly, she didn't give a flying fuck what smartass thing he was saying right now. All she could concentrate on was the insane feeling of his lean, muscular body pressed against hers as he claimed her over and over again. She gave a little smirk herself when she remembered reading an article in Cosmo about Kegel exercises and tried an experimental clench. She was rewarded with a growl from Damon who raised an eyebrow that seemed to say 'you wanna play dirty? Oh, I'll play dirty.' Elena's smirk disappeared as he changed angles and began to pound into her without mercy. Elena's breaths became pants as she wrapped her legs as tight as they would go around Damon's hips, her hands gripping his back so tightly that had he not been a vampire, she would have worried about bruising or breaking the skin. Quicker than ever before, she felt that tingling sensation build to a fever pitch as she came hard, crying out.

Damon could have happily come right then and there, but he wasn't done with her yet. He pulled out, kissing a trail down her neck, between her breasts, licking the salty sweat from her skin as he continued his trail down her midsection, finally reaching his goal. He dipped his tongue inside her and then gave one slow, long swipe of the tongue upward, ending on her clit. Elena involuntarily jerked due to the heightened sensitivity.

"Damon…it's too much," she said, one hand moving down to his hair, trying to push him away.

"Uh-uh," he said, brushing aside her hand as if it were nothing. He then went to work on building her second orgasm, alternating tongue-fucking with plenty of attention given to her clit. Elena writhed beneath him but he held one hand flat on her abdomen, keeping her from getting away from him. Elena gripped the attached wrist to no avail and resigned herself to the sensations. She continued moaning and writhing as Damon licked and sucked her in the most sensitive of spots. She nearly saw stars when he began the combination of sliding two fingers inside her as his tongue worked on her clit. She came suddenly and violently, her legs shaking and her hands trying desperately to remove his head from her nether regions. She thought she might black out from the intensity of it all.

"Come on, Elena, don't wimp out on me now," he cajoled. He crawled back up her body, nuzzling her neck until she smiled.

"Alright, then, Damon. Do your worst," she conceded.

"That's the spirit," he crowed, suddenly flipping her over onto her stomach. "Now, up on your knees."

Elena's body felt like jelly - she wasn't sure she could comply with his request until she found herself hoisted onto her knees, where, magically, she stayed. She braced her hands against the headboard and groaned as Damon slid himself back inside her, leaning his torso onto her back and slowly fucking her on all fours, one hand braced beside hers and the other taking the opportunity to play with first one breast, then the other.

Elena continued her intermittent moans, somehow finding the energy to begin meeting Damon's thrusts. She thought back to her previous sexual experiences and realized that this was a first for her - this position, anyway. She decided it was quickly becoming a favorite as it allowed for the deepest penetration - Damon buried himself to the hilt with each thrust - and his hands were free to roam her body, tweaking all the spots that sent her over the edge. Almost impossibly, she found herself building to a third orgasm. She gripped the headboard so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She knew Damon was near the edge because he was moving faster and faster, until finally she exploded, spasming around him, milking his cock and practically pulling him with her. Damon grunted as the evidence of his orgasm spilled into her, flooding her insides and giving her a yet-unfelt sense of fulfillment.

She released a huge sigh. Damon pressed a kiss to her shoulder and rolled off, lying on her bed and wiping the sweat out of his eyes. Elena collapsed halfway on top of him, automatically resuming the casual entanglement of last night.

"That was… wow," she said, words failing.

"Mm-hm," he said absentmindedly, running his thumb up and down her spine as they began to cool off.

Elena giggled, covering her eyes, suddenly embarrassed.

"What?" Damon said, curious.

She moved her hand to tuck her hair behind her ears. "Just… this. Us. I can't believe we did this… again."

"Hm," he said noncommittally. "Can't believe it as in 'ew, normally Damon is so gross but something came over me and I had to jump his bones', or can't believe it as in you're beginning to match my superhuman stamina?"

"Neither," Elena said. "I just… this isn't like me. I don't do things like this. I don't normally lose control and go all hormonal teenager-y, but once we crossed that line, it's like I don't know how to go back." She glanced at him, silently hoping he understood.

"Well, I'm pretty amazing," he stated.

Elena rolled her eyes. She didn't have the energy to hit him this time.

He checked to see her expression and grinned. "Ok, _we're_ pretty amazing," he allowed.

"Oh yeah?" she said, just a bit too hopefully. She didn't want to hear a compare and contrast list of his past conquests, but neither did she want to give him the impression that she wanted to switch boyfriends after one day of irrational behavior. It was all so complicated.

"Yeah, I mean, I know I'm awesome, but I'll let you in on a little secret… it ain't always like _that_. It takes two to tango, babe, and you're a hell of a dancer."

Elena wasn't sure why the compliment meant so much to her, but she felt her cheeks warm at the thought that out of the dozens of women he'd likely bedded, she might be at the top of the list of one night stands and girlfriends. Now she just had to figure out what the label next to her name would be...

* * *

Damon whistled as he drove back home. He was feeling pretty damn good about himself. He made his excuses and jetted out of Elena's bed before she tried to have the dreaded "where do we stand" conversation. Girls were so needy. Meanwhile, he was pretty stoked about getting laid several times in one day by the same chick, no compelling required. Not that he generally needed to compel a woman into his bed, but Elena was quite the exception to his rule. She was someone who could complicate things for him, and generally he steered clear of those. He was glad she lived up to his sexpectations though, and even gladder still that through tiny, non-verbal cues, she gave him the idea that she preferred him to Stefan, at least in bed. That fucking made his day.

He pulled into the drive still whistling, twirling his keys around his finger as he walked through the front door before tossing them on a nearby table where he met with a less friendly face than he left.

"Damon."

"Stefan," Damon said, matching Stefan's serious tone and narrowed eyebrows. He broke the face and patted Stefan on the shoulder before walking around him. "How's it hanging, bro?"

Stefan turned and watched Damon shrug off his jacket and toss it haphazardly on the sofa before picking out a book, reclining and flipping through it, ignoring Stefan's glare.

"What?" Damon said finally, through gritted teeth. He didn't know how much longer his good mood would last with Stefan hovering, wearing his overused disapproving expression.

"You remember that girl from the other day?" Stefan decided to open with a side topic, avoiding the huge elephant in the room regarding Damon's little road trip, of which he still had absolutely no details.

"What girl?" Damon asked, disinterested, still reading.

"The 'snack' you went out for a couple of nights ago."

Damon thought back. Oh yeah, the girl from the local bar. She was only in town for the one night. Apparently she got lost on a road trip of her own and decided to crash for the night in Mystic Falls before regaining her bearings in the morning.

"I buried her. You left her in the woods."

Damon shrugged. "So the local yokel news department calls it another animal attack. Big whoop. It's not like anyone will miss her - nobody even knew she was here."

Stefan rubbed his eyes. Arguing with Damon always wore him out. "Damon, I'm tired of cleaning up your messes. You've got to be more careful."

Damon finally closed his book. "Oh, that's rich. You cleaning up my messes. Tell me, who cleaned up the mess when you left Katherine's picture sitting on your desk, just waiting to be discovered by your girlfriend?" He shook his finger at Stefan. "Sloppy, kid. Sloppy._ You've_ got to be more careful."

"Don't turn this around on me. I'm talking about you hurting people."

"Well so am I. Your precious poopsie got into a car accident after speeding away from the scene of your little love crime. She was emotional, Stefan. Vulnerable," he said, not able to resist digging at Stefan.

Stefan's eyes darkened. "You didn't take advantage of her, did you?"

"Who, me?" Damon said innocently, a hand to his chest. "Stefan, I'm surprised at you. I can't believe you'd accuse me of being so manipulative."

"Oh please. You've done worse with less."

"Well I _swear_ I didn't compel her, ok? Your darling Elena never lost her free will to do anything." Damon conveniently left out what Elena did with that free will. And how many times.

"You swear," Stefan repeated, trying to reconcile himself with the fact.

"I swear," Damon said, rolling his eyes.

"Ok," Stefan said, reluctantly accepting his word. After all, it was his only choice. "So… where did you go? What did you do?"

"Oh, darn, your twenty questions are up, mister," Damon said, getting up and putting the book back on the shelf. "You wanna know more? Go ask your girlfriend. I'm sure she'll be able to tell you everything you need to know."

"I did… sort of." He thought back to his conversation earlier. Elena seemed… distant. "She just needs time."

"Time," Damon repeated. "Huh. Well. Good luck with that." He turned and left the room, leaving Stefan to mull over what just happened. He was sure Elena would see reason. He'd just have to wait until Monday to find out where they stood. And perhaps he could find out where she stood with Damon too...

* * *

_**Author's note: I know, I know, I just couldn't leave well enough alone. Too many formative years of watching Dawson's Creek has given me an appetite for angst. But that's what makes it so fun, right? (Yeah, that and the smut. God bless those college years for... experience.) So, per usual, let me know what you think. (Topics to consider: am I staying in character enough? Do you find the plot believable/likeable? What do you think will happen next? Should I shut up already and post the next chapter...)**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Again, thanks for the reviews! I get a little thrill every time I read my review alerts. Keep 'em comin'! Here's a tidbit to tide you over. The next chapter's pretty long but I'm still editing so this will have to do for now. On to the angst... let's see if Elena's got it figured out yet.**_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Elena avoided her friends - including the Salvatore brothers - all weekend in favor of some much-needed R and R, using the (real) excuse that she was grounded in order to get out of hanging out with Bonnie and Caroline. She knew her problems would be waiting for her on Monday, and boy, was she right.

She couldn't take it anymore. Stefan had been staring at her all day, at least in every class they had together. He tried to be all covert about it, but she could feel his eyes on her and it was getting to her in more ways than one. Part of her wanted to run back into his arms and let him explain to her why he was only in love with her, and live happily ever after with him. But another part of her couldn't get Damon out of her mind - especially her daydreams - and it was driving her crazy. She needed to clear the air with him before she could officially reconcile with Stefan. The bell rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. She had 45 minutes for lunch, and she knew exactly what she was going to do with them.

* * *

Damon heard the doorbell ring, interrupting his research. He sighed and got up to answer it, surprised to find Elena on the other side of the door.

"Hey," she said, gripping the strap of her purse in a nervous habit.

"Hey," Damon replied, holding the door open so she could come in. She accepted his silent invitation and stepped inside, following him into the living room and stopping abruptly, not sure how to begin.

Damon waited - albeit impatiently - for her to speak first.

"So you're probably wondering why I'm here," she began. Brilliant opening line.

Damon nodded.

"In the middle of the school day," she added unnecessarily. This was already off to a bad start. She took off her jacket and purse and squared her shoulders, trying to figure out what she wanted to say.

"Care to enlighten me?" Damon asked, enjoying her discomfort but slightly annoyed at the disruption from his work, seeing as she had trouble articulating a reason for being there. He cocked his head, reading her body and noticing how nervous she was. Hm… maybe this was a mid-day booty call. Hot.

Damon advanced toward her, pulling her in for a kiss to test the waters. She responded, but it was nothing like her response the night he came to her bedroom. He pulled away and looked at her, trying to figure out what was going on in that crazy mind of hers.

Elena decided to just blurt it out. "Can I trust you?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"Probably not," Damon answered. He sounded pretty matter of fact.

Elena sighed and stepped completely out of his arms. "Then what are we doing here? What's the point if I can't even trust you? I barely trust you to not kill me or the people I love."

Ah. Here it comes, the talk all girls seemed incapable of avoiding. "And _I_ say what's the point of overthinking things?" Damon said simply.

Elena was frustrated. "Because that's no foundation for a relationship."

Damon stopped in his tracks. "Relationship?"

Elena backpedaled. "Well… I mean, are we even friends?"

Damon scoffed. "Of course we're friends. I haven't killed you yet, right?"

Elena sighed. "Well then, let's start there."

Damon looked suspicious. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe… and I'm just saying maybe… I'll be able to trust you if you stop killing everyone I know." Elena tried not to think about how incredibly ridiculous that statement was. Out loud it sounded like a line from a bad movie.

Damon smirked, leaning close and speaking in a stage whisper. "You do realize I'm a vampire, right?"

Elena lost it. "I'm not stupid, Damon. You don't have to keep reminding me what you are."

"Well then stop ignoring it," he said, wandering the room aimlessly as he spoke, picking up a random baseball and tossing it back and forth between his hands. "I have to feed, otherwise the charming, debonair man you see before you will wither away to a mere shell of his former sexy self." He saw the look in her eyes and stopped her before she asked the obvious. "And no, I refuse to feed on vermin that scurry on the ground like my brother. Picking fur out of my teeth…" he shuddered at the thought. "It's undignified."

Elena sighed again, this time in defeat. "Well then I don't know what to tell you, Damon. That's a deal breaker."

Damon huffed. He couldn't believe he was being so weak, even deigning to consider what she was asking. "Ok, so let me get this straight. If I agree not to feed on the citizens of your little hamlet, you'll agree to be my 'friend'?" he said with air quotes.

"Well… yeah."

"And I want to be your friend because…" he paused expectantly.

"Damon!"

"What? I just don't see what I'm getting out of this deal. No feeding, no fucking… what's the point?" he said with a shrug, tossing the baseball one last time before setting it down, folding his arms and leaning casually against an armoire as he waited for her response.

"The point is that if you can't even do that to earn my trust, then we're over before we've even started. I'm serious, Damon. I'm already questioning my sanity for being interested in the first place. A normal person would run in the opposite direction when they see you coming. A normal person would not have conflicting emotions regarding a ruthless killer. And a normal person would have a hard time forgiving and forgetting your past."

Damon regarded her with irritation. "So then leave, already. No one's forcing you to be here, Elena."

She stared at him silently for a moment. Wordlessly, she picked up her jacket and purse and headed to the door. He was right. She didn't know what she had been thinking, imagining that she was anything more to him than a good lay or a bargaining chip against his brother. But the minute her hand made contact with the doorknob, she heard him speak.

"Wait."

She turned and looked at him. He had moved to stare out the window, his face screwed up and his lips pursed, presumably mulling something over. Apparently he lost the argument in his head, because he was clearly still irritated when he spoke again.

"So Mystic Falls would be off-limits."

Elena's eyes widened. Was he seriously saying what she thought he was saying? "Y…yeah," she stuttered.

"Hm," he grunted. He paced a bit before turning full on to look at her. "Ok." He seemed to have come to a decision. He raised his right hand and placed the other over his heart. Or, what she supposed was his heart. Vampire anatomy was a bit of a mystery to her. "I, Damon Salvatore, do solemnly swear not to kill any permanent residents of Mystic Falls," he said jauntily, holding up a finger to silence an excited Elena before she spoke, "except in self-defense." He sauntered over to Elena, arranging her arms and hands to mirror his. "Your turn. Repeat after me. I, Elena Gilbert," he paused and gestured for her to speak.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I, Elena Gilbert…"

"Do solemnly swear," he prompted.

"Do solemnly swear…"

"That as long as Damon upholds his end of the bargain, I will be his best good friend," Damon said.

Elena grinned and shook her head. "That as long as Damon upholds _his _end of the bargain, I will be his best good friend…"

"…with benefits," Damon finished.

"…with… hey!" Elena said, about to repeat it blindly. "I didn't say anything about benefits," she chided.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Elena, I'm giving up a whole damn town for you. The least you could do is upgrade to friends with benefits."

"Damon," she whined.

"Elena," he whined back.

She narrowed her eyes. "Fine. But benefits do not include full-on sex."

"Says who?"

"Says me. The whole point is to be able to trust you, and it's hard to trust you when you're… distracting me."

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Damon teased.

"And I think it would be best for everyone if we kept said benefits discreet… think of them as secret benefits. That's the offer - take it or leave it," she said, crossing her arms with an air of finality.

"How about we just say that the benefits extend as far as you are willing to take them in any given moment," Damon suggested.

"How is that any different than what I just said?" Elena said, exasperated.

"Elena, Elena, Elena," Damon said, reaching over and pulling her jacket out of her arms and her purse off her shoulder, tossing both on a chair. "You should know by now that I can be very persuasive," he said, shooting her a knowing look.

"And you should know by now that I can be very stubborn," she countered, picking them back up.

"Well then, that's just going to make this all kinds of interesting, isn't it?" Damon smirked. He slid his arms around her waist and lowered his head, letting his lips hover a fraction of an inch above hers. He smiled in satisfaction when her eyes automatically closed and her head tilted up, her lips parting for the kiss she expected. In a surprise move, he moved his lips instead to whisper in her ear. "See you later, friend." He released her and disappeared before she opened her eyes.

"Damn you, Damon…" she breathed to herself. She looked at her watch and realized if she didn't hurry, she'd be late getting back to class. She had study hall next; plenty of time to sit and think about what she was getting herself into, and how she was going to deal with with Stefan...

* * *

_**Author's note: Twist! Didn't see that coming, hm? :) Well, maybe you did. Maybe you live in my ImagiNation and know what's happening next. But if you don't... send me your best guesses! Here's some hints. Next chapter: Elena finally has a heart-to-heart with Stefan with surprising results. Bonnie gives her some refreshingly honest advice about how to handle proceedings with the Salvatore brothers, and just as Elena comes to a decision regarding each brother, she finds herself changing her mind as soon as it's made up. (Angsty sexy goodness!)**_

_**Please continue your awesome reviews; I read each one and take all comments and advice to heart. (The longer the better!) Also, there is the **__**slight**__** possibility that if enough reviewers want me to, I could be persuaded to post again within 24 hours. (And by slight, I mean total.)**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

**_Author's note: Welcome to the super-long chapter! Hope you like it. Thanks for reading and reviewing... Now back to our regularly-scheduled drama._**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Elena bit her bottom lip as she tried her locker combination for the tenth time. Her nerves kept getting the best of her and she fumbled until she jerked it open. Three books immediately fell out. She huffed and bent down to pick them up, but someone beat her to it.

"Hey… what's with you today?" Bonnie asked, helping her put her books back in her locker. Elena shook her head and stuffed the last of her notes in her locker, forcefully shutting the door.

"I'm fine," she lied.

"Are you sure you're ok? You look a little green," Bonnie said, concerned about Elena.

"I'm fine," she repeated, brushing it off.

"No you're not," Bonnie insisted. "What's up?"

Elena sighed. She looked out the window and saw Stefan leaning against her car, clearly waiting for her to come out and finally talk to him. She looked around for someplace that, on the off-chance he could hear her from out there, would mask their conversation. "In here," she said, pulling Bonnie into the girls bathroom and turning on the faucet.

Bonnie looked down at the sink and then back up at Elena. "Ok, now you're just being weird."

"It's so Stefan won't hear us," she said. She checked the stalls to make sure they were alone before continuing. "Ok, so I have to tell you something, but promise you'll let me finish before you freak out."

"Ok," Bonnie said slowly.

"And you can't tell Caroline. At least, not yet."

"Elena, come on, what is it?"

Elena gathered her courage. "Ok, so you know how I skipped school last week."

"Yeah, totally unlike you and you never really explained what happened."

Elena cringed. "Ok. Well… it all started Wednesday night when I was driving home from Stefan's. We had just… you know… for the first time."

"Awww!" Bonnie cooed.

"That's so not the direction this story is going," Elena said ,slumping against the sink.

"Ok, well go on, then."

"So I was really upset because I found this picture of Katherine in Stefan's room. Bonnie, I look just like her. I'm talking identical twin. It freaked me out and I had to get out of there. I felt like our whole relationship was based on a lie."

"Oh my God, sweetie, I'm so sorry."

Elena grimaced. "That's not even the worst of it. So I'm driving away when there's this guy in a hoodie just standing in the middle of the road and I might have hit him but I swerved and crashed my car."

"Oh my God!"

"Yeah, so I'm totally upside down on the side of the road when I see this guy stand back up and his limbs, they just snapped back into place!"

"Oh my God!" Bonnie kept repeating.

"He starts walking towards the car but then gets scared and speeds away and all of a sudden this face is right next to mine through the broken window. Damon shows up out of the clear blue - he saved my life, Bonnie!"

"Wait, Damon Salvatore? Damon who tried to kill me? He saved your life?"

"I don't think he really…" Elena stopped when she saw the look on Bonnie's face. "Anyway, yes, Damon saved my life. He got me out of the car and then I must have blacked out or something because next thing I know I wake up in his car and we're in Georgia."

"Georgia. Like two states away Georgia?!"

"Yeah. So he's on some road trip with some secret mission that I don't ask about and we end up going to this bar that his… friend… owns."

"Ok…"

"And we eat and have a few drinks and he goes and talks to his friend and I make new friends and basically have one night of being Old Elena, the girl who actually knew how to party and have a good time. Do you know what I mean when I say Old Elena?" she said, the pleading evident in her voice.

Bonnie looked at her sympathetically. "I think you mean old, carefree Elena."

"Exactly," she said thankfully. "So anyway I take a much-needed bathroom break and when I leave the bathroom, a mystery vampire grabs me and drags me to the back alley. Apparently I was bait because when Damon came looking for me, he totally staked him and was going to kill him. It was awful, Bonnie. He poured gasoline all over him and was getting ready to set him on fire."

"Well I'm sure he had a good reason," Bonnie interjected.

Elena sighed, not sure she wanted to continue the story if that's the reaction she was going to get. "Yeah, well, I convinced him not to kill Damon, to be better than him and he left us there in the alley. We stunk of gasoline and Damon found this motel so we could shower."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "Elena, what are you trying to tell me? Did anything happen?"

Elena looked guilty. "Sort of."

"You know what he's done, right? I mean, you know what kind of person he is? He's the bad guy, Elena."

"I know, but he's not _all_ bad! Granted, he acts out and with far worse consequences than the average moody teenager, but there's a different side to him. I've seen it."

"Well you're the only one," Bonnie said, folding her arms.

"Bonnie, please be understanding of what I have to tell you next. You're the only person… I just need you to be my friend and listen right now."

Bonnie sighed. "Ok, I'll try not to judge."

"Thank you. So yes, I slept with Damon. I know, I know, I was drunk… but only the first time." She looked at Bonnie to gauge her reaction. To her credit, Bonnie was repressing her natural response to freak out. "Yeah, so, I, um, slept with him more than once. And I'm ashamed to say it was amazing." She tingled at the memory. "It was more than amazing. Remember how I said he had a different side? He could be really tender, and not in a manipulative way. He never compelled me or tried to force anything. It all just sort of… happened. And now I'm confused. I don't want to be Katherine to either of them, locked in some eternal love triangle, wanting both men for myself. But I can't help but have feelings for both of them. Damon has good left in him, I know it, and the attraction is really powerful. Stefan, on the other hand… I know Damon likes me, but if I'm honest, I know Stefan loves me. And I know I love him. I just can't get Damon out of my head, especially after what's happened."

Bonnie waited, but apparently that was the end of the story. "Well… so what are you going to do now?"

Elena frowned. "I don't know. Damon and I talked, and we're going to try to be friends."

"Friends?" Bonnie said, raising an eyebrow.

Elena couldn't help but snicker. "Yeah, well, I made Damon swear not to kill or feed on anyone in Mystic Falls to gain my trust. And you know Damon… when I said we would be friends in return, he somehow manipulated it so that we would be friends with benefits, though I made it clear that said benefits did not include sex."

"Hm," Bonnie said, not sure what to make of that pact. "So he really isn't going to kill anyone?"

"I'm not sure about that, but at least I think he won't kill any citizens of Mystic Falls."

"So if you're friends with Damon, what are you with Stefan?"

Elena sighed. "I don't know. I still haven't let him completely explain about the whole looking like Katherine thing."

"Well, you seem to be ok with looking like Katherine and still doing things with Damon," Bonnie pointed out. "What makes it different with Stefan?"

Elena thought about it. "I don't know. I suppose it's that I've only ever thought of Damon as someone on the periphery, someone who admittedly turns me on, but he was never the leading man in my dreams. Stefan, on the other hand, knew he had my heart. I told him I loved him, and then to find out about Katherine like that? It just meant more, I guess."

Bonnie considered the situation. "Well, clearly you're not over it as far as Stefan is concerned. So how about you say the same thing to Stefan that you said to Damon?"

"Be friends with benefits? I don't think that's quite his style," Elena said.

"No no no," Bonnie said. "Tell him that he has to earn back your trust. And that he'll have to be your friend first if he wants to do that. That way, you have time to decide. Personally, I think that Damon won't stick to his word, which will make your decision much easier."

"Maybe you're right…" Elena allowed.

"Just go and talk to Stefan. Listen to his story and then decide from there. At least this way you have a backup plan."

"Ok," Elena said, turning off the water. "Thanks, Bonnie, really. I know that was hard to listen to and I appreciate it."

"Anytime," Bonnie said, hugging her. "But just be careful, alright? You may be starting to trust-" she stopped herself, remembering that she might be heard. "You Know Who," she amended, "but I still don't trust him at all."

"I know. I'll be careful. Thanks," Elena said. They exited the bathroom and she adjusted her backpack, taking a deep breath before walking to her car to face Stefan.

* * *

"Oh my God," Elena said after he finished his story. "Adopted."

"Yeah," Stefan said. He wasn't sure how she would take things, but he watched as it sank in. She was accepting it.

Elena's mind was working in overdrive, flashes of what he said swimming in her brain. The accident. Stefan watching her. Adopted. And the possibility that she was a descendant of Katherine. It still creeped her out, but all that was seemingly erased when Stefan told her how he watched her and fell in love with her. It was everything she needed to hear.

"Stefan," she breathed, throwing her arms around him as he pulled her into a hug. This time, most of her doubts and fears had been allayed. She allowed herself to cling to him, be close to him. He loved her, and that was all that mattered. She sniffed and pulled away, letting Stefan wipe away her tears and hold her face in his hands as he kissed the pain away. All of a sudden, it felt right. When they broke their kiss, she returned her head to his shoulder, letting him rub comforting circles on her back. But when she closed her eyes, images of Damon flashed unbidden through her mind.

"Stefan…" she said again, pulling back and looking into his eyes.

"Yes, Elena?" he said, cocking his head to one side as he tucked her hair behind her ears, tracing her face with his fingers before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

Elena closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She wasn't sure if she had the strength to do this. The easy thing would be to go back to the way things were before. Before she found out about Katherine. Before… Damon.

"This is a lot to process, you know?" she started.

"I know."

"And I just think that I need more time. I can't help but still be worried about my connection to Katherine; I know what you said, and it's sweet and wonderful, but it's hard to just… go back to before."

"Okay," he said, not sure where she was going with this. He didn't know how many times he had to tell her, or how many different ways to explain it, but he knew he had to make her understand that his feelings for Katherine died long ago, that the feelings he had for her were real and strong.

"I think," she swallowed the lump in her throat, "that I just need to take a step back. More than anything right now, I need a friend. Do you - do you understand?"

Stefan nodded slowly. If this was what she needed to work through things, then he could wait. He would wait forever for her. "Whatever you need, Elena. I'm here for you no matter what."

God, why did he have to be so perfect? If he were just an ass like his brother, this would be so much easier. Well… maybe not, seeing as she wasn't handling her feelings all too well in that department either. She looked at him and wondered if she was crazy. Here was this gorgeous man, telling her he was completely and irrevocably in love with her, who would do anything for her, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be with him. She did know, however, that if she jumped right back into dating him now, she would always question their relationship, no matter what he said about being in love with her and not Katherine. She needed time to wrap her mind around everything that's happened, and figured she'd intuitively know what to do when the time was right.

"Thank you," she said, hugging him fiercely. She meant it. Not many guys would be willing to wade through all this baggage to be with her.

"Of course," Stefan said.

She awkwardly backed away, playing with the strap of her backpack.

Stefan stepped away from her car, knowing that she was silently ending the conversation. "So I'll see you around…" he said.

"Absolutely," Elena said, nodding.

"Alright," he said with a warm smile. He turned to head to his car, but stopped, facing her one more time. "You still want to go to that sock hop - uh, that fifties decade dance? You know, as friends?"

"Sure," Elena said with a small smile. "I'd love to."

"Ok then." He smiled and walked away. She watched him leave, still reeling from the myriad of emotions she went through in one short conversation. She was confident she made the right decision. No sense rushing into things, right? She got in the car and started the drive home, thinking about all that Stefan had said.

Oddly, she felt some sort of strange obligation to tell Damon that she finally talked to Stefan, to let him know that she heard his story and accepted it. She just wasn't sure how that conversation was going to go. Maybe she could get him to drop the whole benefits thing. It wasn't fair to lead him on like that when in her heart she believed that the trial friend period with Stefan would most likely end in them dating again. Perhaps by explaining Stefan's feelings, she might get Damon to reveal his feelings. For all she knew, she was just a sexual plaything to him. She thought back to their conversation earlier; he masterfully sidestepped admitting anything on his part. She as good as told him that she had feelings for him, whatever they may be, and he never returned the favor. Actually, now that she thought about it, she was irritated. What arrogance. Still, she worried that if she didn't phrase things right, he might drop her immediately and she'd never get to hear how he felt. She knew that most of his behavior stemmed from deep-rooted feelings of betrayal, which meant that he must have cared a long time ago, otherwise it wouldn't have hurt so much. She decided to call him when she got home.

* * *

Elena dropped her backpack on the floor and perched on the edge of her bed, giving herself a brief pep talk before dialing Damon's cell number. She didn't ask herself how it got programmed into her phone. She got butterflies when he answered. It seemed so juvenile, being nervous about calling a boy.

"Damon, hey… uh, do you have a minute to talk?"

"Where are you?" he asked, not really answering.

Elena looked confused. "Home, in my room. Listen, I just wanted to tell you something. I mean, not that you will necessarily care, I don't assume that my every move really matters to you, but I just thought you should know."

"Uh huh."

The doorbell rang, prompting a sort of growling noise of frustration from Elena. "Sorry, hang on. Jeremy!" she shouted, placing the phone on her shoulder. She knew Jenna was still at work, and apparently Jeremy wasn't home yet. He was probably in the library - he seemed to spend a lot of time there now. She hurried down the stairs to answer the door. "Sorry, Damon, just one more second." She flung the door open without thinking and found herself facing a smirking Damon. He ended the call.

"You know, for a friend, you're awful needy. It's been, what, three hours?" he said, pretending to check his watch.

"And for a friend, you seem to want a lot of face time," she countered.

"Touché," he grinned. He followed her into the kitchen, shutting the door behind him.

Elena belatedly hung up her phone, setting it on the counter.

"So," he said, folding his arms. "You had something to tell me that I most likely won't care about?"

Elena took a deep breath and smoothed down her skirt. She needed to get this conversation over with. She just had to do it quickly. Like ripping off a Band-Aid.

"Damon, Stefan and I, we…" Elena knew she had to say it. "We made up."

"Well, isn't that special," he said dryly.

"I'm being serious, Damon. Stefan explained everything to me… and…" she wrung her hands. "He loves me, Damon. It's not infatuation, it's not just physical, I'm not some game to him. He loves me." She was hoping that would prompt him to reveal his own feelings. She was so wrong.

"Huh. So that's it? You're breaking our pact?" Damon said.

Elena looked confused. "No, that's not what I'm saying. You and I can still be friends. I still want to trust you, Damon."

Damon scoffed. "Right. You want to trust me, but you're with Stefan? How do you think he feels about you and I being 'friends'?" he said with air quotes.

"I… I don't know." She ignored the 'with Stefan' part because she was focused on the answer; she never even considered what Stefan would think about her being friends with Damon. Their hatred ran so deep.

"Hm," Damon said, rounding the table and walking up to her. "And how do you think he would feel about the benefits, hm?" He looked her up and down, his meaning obvious.

"I… I hadn't thought about that," Elena said honestly. "I mean, it all happened so fast…"

"Mm-hm. Well that's fine with me. You just opened up a whole town to me, Elena. Thanks." In a flash, the wall went back up. She couldn't read his eyes.

Elena started to freak out. "Damon, no! I'm not going back on my promise."

"Oh, but it sounds like you are."

"Damon, please," Elena said, grabbing his arm. He looked down at her hands, then back up to her face.

"That's not the magic word," he sneered.

Elena thought fast. "You want benefits? Fine," she said. She threw caution to the wind and held on to the lapels of his jacket, pulling him down into a kiss. She had meant for it to be a quick one, just to make her point. But per usual, Damon took it to the next level. He walked her backwards until she was pressed up against the kitchen wall. She couldn't help but lose herself in the kiss. Damn him. He knew exactly how to play her. Due to their previous… entanglements… he knew what she liked and he was not above using it to his advantage. He kissed down her neck, finding the spot that stoked her desire, marking her in a more traditional way than the way he usually left his mark. She felt herself melting, clinging to him for support. She gasped when Damon's hand snuck up her skirt, slipping inside her panties and stroking her. Her breathing got heavier as he dipped first one, then two fingers inside her, alternating penetration with attention to her clit.

"Dammit, Damon…" she breathed, knowing the battle was lost. He moved to capture her lips with his, and in a surprise move, ripped her underwear off her body. She moaned into his mouth as he stealthily slid her panties into his pocket. She barely heard the clink of his belt and the metal of his zipper before he dropped just enough of his pants to free himself. Within two seconds he lifted her skirt and wrapped one leg around his hip and thrust into her. She broke the kiss and groaned, lowering her head to bite his shoulder to keep from shouting out in pleasure. He grinned at the irony of _her_ biting _him_. Her cries grew louder as his thrusts became more forceful. She never considered the fact that neighbors might hear or at any moment a member of her family could walk in. All her senses were filled with Damon. She struggled to think through the sensations, and somewhere in her brain she managed to reach a place of logic. Of course. Damon was hurt, and he was acting out. He _must_ care, he just couldn't - or wouldn't - show it. This was all he could do to express himself. She mentally rolled her eyes. No matter how old they were - very old, in Damon's case - men were always immature when it came to their feelings and sense of pride.

Damon noticed her momentary shift in focus, and growled in frustration. He grabbed her other leg and wrapped it around him, her back against the wall now the only thing keeping her steady. The rest of her was completely dependent upon him and his movements, and he was making the most of it.

Elena knew she had to do something, and fast, because she could already feel herself building toward a climax, and she knew that once she came, Damon would come with her and drop her, and that would be that. "Damon…" she said softly, in contrast to the rough urgency of their movements. She left one arm wrapped around his shoulders for support and slid the other back to stroke his face, coaxing him to look at her. When he did, she flinched at the anger in his eyes, but reminded herself that the anger was only masking the hurt. She tried to smile, knowing that now was not the time for words. Waxing philosophical was not only a bad idea, it was impossible. She could barely string together a coherent thought. Instead, she kissed him, tenderly, trying to put emotion rather than heat into her kiss. He seemed confused, and tried to deepen the kiss to match the rhythm he set below. Elena pulled away every time he tried, eventually deciding to place kisses on his cheek, a decidedly sweet rather than sexy gesture. In the end, it didn't matter, because within a few short moments, her senses were blown to smithereens as she came violently, intensified by the feeling of him coming inside her simultaneously. She was still gasping for breath when he slid her legs back down onto the floor, and was still grasping his shoulders for support as he zipped back up and fixed his belt.

"Just remember _that_ next time you're with your boyfriend," he rumbled into her ear.

"I… don't… have a boyfriend," she managed to get out.

"What?" Damon said, one eyebrow raised and a look of cynical disbelief on his face.

Elena shook her head. "He explained everything, but I told him I needed time. I just needed him to be my friend. We're just friends, Damon."

Damon regarded her with distrust. "You're just friends like _we're_ just friends?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Damon, I don't think _anyone's_ friends like you and I are. But no, Stefan agreed to take a step back and just be my friend. I can't be with him when…"

Damon waited, not sure what he wanted to hear. "When what, Elena?" he said impatiently.

"When I'm not sure how I feel. The Katherine thing really broke our trust."

"Huh," he said, noncommittally. He considered things. So Elena was being wishy-washy about her feelings for his little brother. They dated, he lied by omission, now they're friends. Elena has whatever feelings for him, they were only ever friends, but fucked like bunnies and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Interesting.

Elena wasn't sure what Damon was thinking - his face was impassive. But she had a pretty good idea of his conclusion. "Listen to me Damon," she said. "I don't mean to talk about her all the time - in fact, if I never hear the name Katherine it will be too soon - but it essentially boils down to this. I'm not Katherine. I know I'm not Katherine. I know both of you know I'm not Katherine. But I'll be damned if we repeat history. I'm not going to play games with you for my own amusement just to keep both of you in my life."

"That's not you," Damon allowed.

Elena blinked. Did he just say something nice about her? "Right. So… I'm serious when I say that I can only be friends with Stefan right now, and I'd really like to be friends with you… that is, if you want to be. Throughout all this, yours are the only feelings that have yet to be declared."

"That's because I don't do feelings."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Damon?"

"Yeah, see, all this is very interesting, really, riveting stuff, but pedantic." He enjoyed seeing the ire practically radiating from her body.

"So, if we're done here…" he said, backing away.

"Damon!" Elena said, seething. "We are _so_ not done here."

"Oh, but I think we are." He turned and headed through the living room to the front door, practically strutting.

"Damon," she said, following him. "You are the most - just insufferable - you're so -"

"I know, and you love it," he said, opening the door. He grabbed the hem of her shirt, knotting it into a ball and pulling her into a kiss against her against her will, noting with satisfaction that she almost gave in before trying to shove him away. Which, of course, didn't really work so well against vampiric strength. He let go with a chuckle and watched as she screwed up her face and slapped him, shaking her hand when she realized that it did no good. "Aww, that was cute," he said, patting her on the head. He stole one last kiss.

"Later," he said, disappearing in an instant.

Elena clenched her teeth. It was the first time since the age of four that she had a strong desire to throw a temper tantrum. She satisfied the urge by slamming the door behind him. She stomped up to her room and screamed in her pillow. She then calmed down considerably, not knowing why she let herself get so worked up over Damon. It wasn't like her. She needed to go somewhere where she didn't have to think. Where someone did all the talking for her… of course! She picked up her phone and dialed. "Caroline? Hey, listen, I don't have an outfit for the decade dance. Let's go to the mall…"

* * *

_**Author's note: Poor Elena. She just can't win. She's got Stefan on the sidelines ready to move back into her life, but what if he found out about Damon? And what is Damon going to do if Elena gets tired of playing his game? And what ever happened to that vampire in the hoodie... Lots more to come, y'all. I thank you in advance for the awesome reviews I'm anticipating - you guys crack me up and give me warm fuzzies all at once. Please click below to make my day. :)**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: So starting with the last chapter, these are being written as they pop into my brain. There's no more pre-written chapters, so you may have a bit of a wait between them now. Still, the anticipation's half the fun, right? :) Oh, and I totally made up all elements of Elena's bedroom. Roll with it.**_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Elena was happy. So happy, in fact, that she cranked up the music on her iPod speakers as she danced around the room. God bless Alaric Saltzman. Jenna was so smitten with him that she un-grounded Elena long enough to go to the Decade Dance just so she could chaperone. The school week had flown by, and it felt a little bit more like last year when she wasn't so sad about her parents all the time. She and Bonnie and Caroline had talked nonstop about their outfits and the decorations. Stefan had somehow unofficially become part of their group, welcomed even more so by Matt now that it was clear that Stefan and Elena were no longer dating. In order to preserve that illusion, Elena pretended not to notice when Stefan would gently place his hand on her back as he sidled past her, or guided her into or out of a room. She also pretended not to notice the longing gazes that both he and Matt seemed to send her way when they thought no one was looking. It also didn't escape her notice that during her months of obsessing over Stefan, Caroline had developed feelings for Matt. She hadn't said anything to Elena yet, but she knew her best friend well enough to know when she was crushing on a guy. It was weird, but she figured ultimately Matt would be good for Caroline, so she encouraged the match.

She smiled as she put in her earrings, checking in the mirror to see how they looked. She knew Jenna was already at the gym helping set up, and Jeremy was with her, apparently pulling punch duty. She dropped her robe and walked into her closet, flipping through her hangers in her underwear and bra, trying to decide between the two outfits she bought. She made her choice and walked back into her room, choking back a scream when she went to toss it on her bed… finding it occupied.

"Jesus, Damon! You scared me half to death! You have _got_ to stop doing that." She looked him up and down as he reclined on top of her comforter. "And where the hell are your clothes?"

Damon smirked and gestured with his head. Elena looked at the nearby chair and saw a pile of clothing tossed haphazardly across the arm. She looked at Damon again, lying there in his underwear.

"So some might call this an obvious question… but why are you here? In your underwear?"

"I can take them off if you'd rather," he offered generously.

"No!" she cried, covering her eyes as he made to pull down his boxers. She heard him snicker. "I have to get ready. You know, the Decade Dance? I'm sure Stefan mentioned it."

"Oh, yeah, like a billion times," Damon said dramatically. "It's so annoying. I don't remember him ever going to a dance in the '50s. Well, he might have gone, but I don't remember him actually dancing."

"So again I ask…" Elena gestured to her bed.

Damon grinned. "Well, I thought we were having an underwear party."

"That's not a thing," Elena said, confused.

"Silly me. Well, let's make it a thing," Damon said, swinging his legs to the floor and sauntering up to her. "It's been several days, Elena. No phone calls, no texts." He made a tsking noise. "Not very friendly, my little friend. Are you trying to hurt my feelings?" he said with mock sincerity.

Elena narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "I thought you didn't _do_ feelings." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned away from him, intending to continue getting ready. She focused on the full-length mirror, touching up her makeup.

"Ah, but I enjoy feeling you," he said. He reached around her, gripping her tiny waist with both hands. Elena froze as he stepped closer, pressing his chest against her back and looking over her shoulder into the mirror. Her eyes met his in the mirror and she swallowed thickly as she watched his hands begin to move. "I enjoy feeling you here," he said, flattening his palm against her midriff, "and here," he said, moving the other hand up to cup a bra-clad breast, "and especially here," he finished, sliding his hand from her midriff past her belly button and between the lacy fabric of her underwear and her hot skin. She bit her lip but didn't break the eye contact in the mirror as she watched his hand move beneath her underwear. It was insanely hot.

"I…" she couldn't form the words. She knew she had to tell him that Stefan would be here in fifteen minutes to pick her up for the dance, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to mention Stefan's name when Damon's fingers were buried inside her. She gasped and arched her back as his other hand pulled her long hair to the side, kissing her neck and tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue. His free hand moved to her back and unhooked her bra. She found herself sliding the bra off and dropping it on the floor as his hand massaged her breast.

"Tell me, Elena," he said, sliding her panties down as she stepped out of them, noting that somehow his boxers joined her panties on the floor. "Do you enjoy feeling me?" She felt his hardness press against her backside and resisted the urge to close her eyes as she slowly nodded.

"Yes…" she admitted.

"Good," Damon smirked. He stepped away, leaving Elena looking at herself in the mirror, her cheeks flushed and her breasts standing at attention, her chest heaving. She was confused… but the confusion didn't last for long. She saw him behind the mirror, moving it closer to her, forcing her to step backward until he had it a few feet away from the foot of her bed. He sped back behind her and sat down on the edge of her bed, pulling her into his lap. He raised her hips and spread her legs, and pulled her down on top of him. Elena cried out, silently thanking God that the house was empty. She was mesmerized by the sight in front of her. She could see herself, sliding up and down on Damon's cock every time he guided her hips. She marveled at the fact that every interaction with Damon seemed to reach new heights of eroticism. Each time was hotter than before, and she had never, in her whole life, seen anything sexier than the image of herself riding Damon while his hands roamed the front of her body. She felt bold, wanton... all those adjectives in the trashy novels that Caroline read seemed to come to life for her. She began to get into it, enjoying the looks that came across Damon's face as she ran her fingers through her hair, sliding her hands down to meet his wherever they roamed. When one hand found her clit, the combination sent her over the edge, and for the first time, she watched herself have an orgasm. She slowed and stilled her movements, noting that Damon was watching her face the entire time in the mirror.

"That was amazing…" she said.

"Well it's mostly 'cause _you're_ amazing," Damon said truthfully. He was always pleasantly surprised at Elena's willingness to follow his lead, no matter what. She was a strong and passionate woman, and knowing that he had the power to make her weak with desire… that was a heady feeling.

"Thank you…" she said saucily. She decided to live in the moment, and tried to think of the one thing that might shock or entice Damon. Something to throw him off guard. She stood up, noting his frown and murmurs of protest. She turned to face him. "And now I'd like to thank you properly," she teased, kissing him but pulling away before he had the chance to deepen the kiss. She kissed down his neck, his chest, running her hands down his washboard abs, until she found her goal. She sank her knees into the carpet and pulled back her hair, shooting him a wink before taking him in her hand, running up and down his length with her slender fist.

Damon's eyes widened before he let out a brief laugh, his face settling into a customary smirk. Dear, sweet Elena. Her corruption was complete. His self-congratulatory thoughts were interrupted when she tentatively licked his head, tasting a mixture of herself and his pre-cum on that first touch. He moaned when her mouth enveloped him, and tore his eyes away from her to look into the mirror. Now there was a sight. He watched Elena's head bob up and down as she used her hands and her mouth to please him. With every lick, with every up and down and those little noises and moans she made humming on his cock, he got closer and closer to his release. Elena sneaked a peek up at Damon's face. His mouth was open and he was mesmerized by the movement in the mirror. She smiled to herself, noting that she must be doing something right. And now for the pièce de résistance. Elena took a deep breath through her nose and relaxed her throat and starting at his tip, slowly sank all the way down.

"Jesus Christ, Elena!" he swore. Where did she learn to deep-throat like that? He looked down in appreciation as she repeated the process several times, feeling himself at the precipice. He was about to explode and wanted her to come with him one more time.

"Fuck," he swore again, pulling her off him. Elena looked momentarily confused until he literally threw her on the bed, her head landing in the center of her pillow. He climbed on top of her and without any further ado, spread her legs and began pounding into her. He really couldn't wait that much longer, so he reached between them and worked her clit. Elena cried out and pulsed around him, signaling the ok for Damon to let go and fill her. He pumped a few last times and collapsed, falling beside her and sliding an arm around her, rolling her onto her side to lay on his chest. Neither of them noticed a figure off in the distance, staring through the window.

Elena sighed, totally spent. She didn't know how she'd regain the energy to dance tonight. She gasped - the dance! Stefan would be here any minute! She groaned.

"What?" Damon asked, glancing at her.

"I'm going to have to redo my makeup."

Damon laughed; a real, deep, belly-laugh. "Seriously? That's your first thought?"

Elena tried to look stern but couldn't help giggling. "Well… not my _first_ thought. But an important one. As much as I'd like to lay here all evening, I have to get ready for the dance."

"Screw the dance. Tell them you're sick. That you need to stay in bed," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Damon, come on. All my friends will be there. We've been talking about this dance for forever, and I really wanna go and hang out with Bonnie and Caroline."

"Fine," Damon said, rolling off the bed and getting dressed in a flash. "So what time is this dance thing over with?"

Elena shrugged. "I don't know. Whenever we feel like it, I suppose. We're probably going to the Grill after… why do you ask?"

"No reason," he said.

Elena grinned. "Should I be expecting a visitor tonight?"

"Maybe, maybe not," he said cryptically.

Elena eased off the bed and started dressing again. "You know what I think?"

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me," Damon said, rolling his eyes.

Elena ignored him. "I think you can't get enough of me. I think that despite all your protestations, you care about me. It's ok, you don't have to say it out loud. Actions speak louder than words," she said with a smug grin.

"Oh yeah?" Damon said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Now shoo, I've got to get dressed and you're not helping things," she said, pushing him out the door.

"Fine, but we're revisiting this 'caring' thing later," Damon warned. In a flash, he was gone.

Elena shook her head and smiled. She hummed along to her music as she put the finishing touches on her outfit when she heard a whirring noise. She looked over to the compass that Stefan gave her the other day. It was spinning like crazy. She looked around; Damon had clearly gone, and surely Stefan was driving down the road at this point. She picked up her cell phone and purse and headed downstairs, grabbing the compass as an afterthought. She called Stefan as she descended the stairs, but it was still spinning like crazy. It went to voicemail and she hung up without leaving a message. She dialed Damon's number and he answered on the second ring. "Damon? Hey, are you home? Oh, well, do you at least know if Stefan left yet? Oh good, because this compass is going crazy and I was scared for a minute that-" Elena dropped the phone and screamed as the hooded vampire dropped from the ceiling and made a run for her. She shrank against the stairwell as he grabbed her, flashing his teeth and aiming for her throat. He was about to bite when the front door flew open and he was knocked aside. There was a short scuffle and he disappeared out the front door. Elena cowered by the stairs, shaking.

"Elena? Are you alright?" Stefan said, gingerly touching her shoulder.

"Stefan!" she said in relief, hugging him fiercely.

"Let me see, did he hurt you?" he said, holding her away and inspecting her. He realized he was still grasping her shoulders and self-consciously dropped his hands.

"I'm fine," she said, rubbing her neck even though she had no injury.

"Elena!" Damon said, appearing out of nowhere through the open door. He sped to her side, checking her out to make sure she was okay. He didn't want to admit it, but when she screamed and dropped the phone with him still on the other end… it scared the shit out of him and he had to get there as fast as possible.

"I'm fine, it was the guy in the hoodie, he just came out of nowhere…. and…" she realized she was still shaking as Damon pulled her into a hug. She closed her eyes and slipped her arms around his waist, letting him hold her and stroke her hair.

"It's ok, you're ok," he said, nearly placing a kiss on her head before realizing that Stefan was giving him a strange look. He shot a look at Stefan that hopefully conveyed 'hey, what can you do, she's just a stupid girl.'

"So what was he doing in the house? What did he want?" Stefan asked, trying to push back the feeling that he should be the one comforting Elena right now.

She calmed herself and pulled away from Damon, sending him a grateful look. "I don't know what he wants. He got my number somehow and has been calling me, and I think he disguised himself as a pizza delivery guy the other night when Jeremy and I ordered pizza. Jeremy didn't have enough money so he invited him in while I got some change."

The brothers exchanged a significant glance.

"Right, well we have to kill him. Tonight," Stefan said. Damon nodded.

"What? No, that's dangerous, I don't want you guys to go looking for him," Elena protested.

"Oh we won't have to," Damon said.

"I don't understand," Elena said.

"Elena, he's clearly stalking you for whatever reason and now he's attacked you. So we're going to get him. Tonight. At the dance," Stefan said.

"No, I mean, I shouldn't go to the dance if he's out there looking for me," Elena said.

"Elena," Damon said. "As long as he's been invited in, he could do anything he pleases to _anyone_ in this house. You catch my meaning?"

Elena swallowed thickly. "Yeah."

"Good, so it's settled. Let's go," Damon said.

"Wait, where are you going?" Stefan said.

"Seriously, little brother? You gonna take on the big bad vampire all by yourself and protect Elena at the same time? No, don't think so," Damon scoffed.

Stefan gritted his teeth. "Fine. Are you going like that?" he said, noting that Damon didn't look remotely fifties-ish compared to Stefan and Elena.

"Yeah, give me two minutes," he said, speeding up to Jeremy's room.

Stefan looked at Elena who merely shrugged. As quickly as he promised, Damon returned, prompting a snicker from Elena.

"Ok, how'd you do that? You went from millennial to greaser in two point five seconds," she said. She took in the changes. His white shirt was tucked into his jeans, he already had the leather jacket, and his hair was slicked into a bouffant that would make Elvis proud.

He shrugged. "Jeremy had gel."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Come on, James Dean."

* * *

Once she forgot about the murderous vampire, Elena was actually having a great time at the dance. At first, Bonnie and Caroline gave her a hard time about showing up with _both_ Salvatore brothers. She said that Damon was there to chaperone and she was making an effort to get along with him for Stefan's sake. Caroline warily accepted her explanation, while Bonnie gave her a knowing - albeit admonishing - look and told her to be careful. Caroline was pouting because Matt was working instead of attending the dance, but the girls all danced together and danced a bit with their other guy friends. Periodically, Stefan or Damon would wander in and out of the crowd as they scanned it for the mysterious hooded vampire, but there wasn't a single hoodie in the crowd. Finally, Elena put her foot down.

"Ok, guys, I know you're…observing… but don't you think you should, oh, I don't know, dance?" she said to the both of them.

"I thought you'd never ask," Damon smirked, grabbing her hand and twirling her out. She twirled back in and looked up in shock.

"Shut up, you do _not_ dance," she said, shaking her head in amazement.

"If I don't dance, then what's this?" he said, taking both her hands and leading.

Elena tossed her hair and laughed heartily. Caroline rolled her eyes and announced to everyone that she was getting punch, not wanting to be near Damon. Bonnie shrugged and continued dancing on her own, with Stefan reluctantly joining her. The song abruptly ended and changed to a ballad. Stefan turned to Elena, clearly hoping to switch partners but stopped when Damon pulled her closer, one hand around her waist and the other holding her hand, rocking them back and forth as they chatted, oblivious to the rest of the world. Stefan offered to dance with Bonnie in his usual gentlemanly fashion. She graciously accepted but both kept sneaking glances at Damon and Elena - for different reasons. Bonnie was worried that Elena was getting too emotionally involved with Damon who was only going to hurt her. Stefan was wondering just when Damon and Elena got so chummy. He knew they went on that trip together, which Elena eventually let him know was all the way down to Georgia, but she only mentioned that Damon didn't hurt her. She didn't say they'd bonded or that she trusted Damon or was friends with him. He always assumed she tolerated Damon because they were related. Now he wasn't so sure.

The song faded out and gave way to the hand jive. The girls squealed and started doing the hand jive amid random peals of laughter. Damon and Stefan exchanged a look. Of all the dances from the fifties, the hand jive might be the most ridiculous, and they decided to opt out.

"Anyone need punch?" Stefan offered.

"Oh yes, I'm parched," Elena said, just realizing how thirsty she was. "Thanks."

"Bonnie?" he said.

"Yeah, thanks!" she said, not breaking her hand jive.

Stefan gestured to the punch table with his head, insinuating that Damon should follow. They made their way through the crowd.

"So," Stefan began while they waited in line, "you and Elena seem to be getting along pretty well."

"Yup," Damon replied without elaboration.

Stefan sighed. "Listen, whatever game you're playing with her, stop. I know what you're doing."

"Oh really?" Damon said, raising an eyebrow. "And what exactly am I doing?"

"I know you're trying to release Katherine from the tomb," Stefan said.

Damon didn't even flinch. "And what of it?"

"Just leave Elena out of it, alright? She doesn't have anything to do with your plans."

"I see. And how do you know she doesn't have anything to do with my plans, hm? Maybe she's integral to my evil plans," he said, wiggling his fingers for emphasis.

Stefan's face changed for just an instant before he got it back under control. "Just… don't use her as some sort of sick replacement for Katherine until you can get the real thing back, ok?"

"Um, I think that's _your_ job," Damon retorted.

Within seconds, Stefan had him pinned against a wall. "You're lucky we're in a crowded room. I'm only going to explain this once, Damon. I love Elena. Not Katherine, Elena. And she loves me. And while I know that's hard for you to accept, you've got to deal with it. Don't project your feelings for Katherine onto Elena. I don't want you messing with her head."

Damon easily shoved Stefan off. "See, there are a few too many holes in your story for my liking. You say that you and Elena share this transcendental love. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not _actually_ dating, are you? Didn't she need time away from you to deal with your lies?" He held up a finger before Stefan could protest. "And as far as projecting my feelings for Katherine onto Elena, I can assure you, every part of me knows that they are two completely different people. _Every_ part of me."

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

Damon evaded the question, instead deciding to let Stefan stew. "You know what Katherine was to me, what she was to both of us. Elena's my… friend."

"Your friend," Stefan repeated, not quite believing him.

"Yeah. Ask her yourself if you don't believe me. And I'm not messing with her head; your little necklace saw to that. Elena knows her own mind."

"I might just do that," Stefan said, turning to scan the crowd for Elena. He abandoned the punch table when he couldn't find her. "Damon, do you see her? Hear her?"

Damon immediately switched gears and scanned the crowd, noticing one major difference: no Elena. "Let's go."

* * *

_**Author's note: I know, cliffhanger! So let me know what you think of this latest installment (and the little bits of foreshadow sprinkled throughout). What happens next? Only time will tell... but reviews sure help speed it up! ;)**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: There are no words to describe the awesomeness of your reviews! You guys totally make my day. I'm beginning to worry if I can live up to your expectations! I'll just let you decide for yourselves. Now we continue right where we left off, the boys looking for Elena, who mysteriously disappeared in the middle of the school dance...**_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Damon and Stefan moved through the halls with stealth and speed. To the human eye, doors appeared to fly open of their own accord. They checked each hall and each classroom, fear gnawing at the pit of each brother's stomach, though neither would admit it out loud. Their ears pricked and they exchanged a look when they heard a grunt come from a classroom at the end of the hall.

They busted open the door to find Elena crouching across from the vampire. They registered with mild surprise that several pencils were sticking out of him. He lunged for Elena, and both brothers jumped for him, tackling him to the ground. Damon looked up and saw a broom. He grabbed it, snapping it in half, and stabbed the vampire in the stomach, noting with satisfaction that he doubled over in pain.

"So," Stefan said, crossing his arms and stepping in front of the vampire, now on his knees. "What do you want?"

"Nothing," he replied.

"Wrong answer," Stefan said, twisting the homemade stake. He howled in pain. "What do you want with Elena? Why did you attack her?"

"I was just playing with her. She looks like Katherine." He shot them a significant look. "I'm sure you can understand that."

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "You don't know anything about it."

"Oh, don't I? Come on, you guys don't think you were the only ones, do you? She turned a lot of us. Besides, look at her," he said, turning to Elena. "So like her, yet tasty and human. And I noticed they share some of the same characteristics. For instance… she arches her back the same way, doesn't she, Damon?" he goaded.

Stefan glanced at Damon, noting that his eyes momentarily widened in surprise before returning to a shroud of nonchalance.

"I wouldn't know," Damon lied smoothly.

The vampire grinned, baring his teeth. "Ah, history repeats itself. Each brother in love, each hiding it from the other. You gotta love the love triangles."

Damon scoffed. "Please. This schmuck over here fancies himself in love. But I think you know what I want. So where is it?"

"The grimoire? No idea."

Damon growled in rage, grabbing the stake and twisting it deeper. "As you see, I'm not a patient man, so I am only going to ask this once more. Where. Is. It?"

"I don't know, I don't know! But I know that Jonathan Gilbert wrote about it in his journal."

"What's he talking about?" Elena asked, her eyes darting to each vampire in the room.

"Emily's grimoire," Stefan said, all the pieces finally fitting together. "So he can release Katherine from the tomb. He finds the journal, he gets the grimoire, reverses the spell, releases Katherine and lives his happily ever after."

Elena gasped, a sharp pang appearing in her side. All this time she thought that Damon really wanted her, but was too stubborn or too scared to admit it. But this whole time, the diabolical plan he teased about was really a ploy to get Katherine back. She started to feel sick, realizing she put her trust in the wrong brother.

"Nicely done, Sherlock. Only took you a hundred years to work it out," Damon said. He returned to his line of questioning. "Do you know where the journal is?"

"No," the vampire answered.

"And are you working alone?" he added.

"Yes."

"Alright then," Damon said, pulling out the stake and tossing it to Stefan with an imperceptible nod. Stefan plunged the stake into his heart.

Elena cried out. "But… do you really think he was working alone? Don't you need to find out more information?"

"We found out all we were going to find out," Damon said.

Stefan agreed. "He had to die, Elena. He was invited in," he reminded her.

"Right…" she said, suddenly feeling light-headed. She didn't realize she was quite so wobbly until Stefan put his arm around her in a comforting gesture. She made eye contact with Damon, but his face was unreadable. She squeezed her eyes shut and clung to Stefan, tears leaking unbidden from her eyes.

Stefan didn't know what to think; it's not like she had never seen a corpse before, or someone killed, for that matter. He then glanced at Damon who averted his eyes and began to clean up. Did he miss something? Was more going on than he realized? He thought back to what the vampire said. Elena arching her back. How would he know something like that?

Elena took comfort in Stefan's arms. She didn't know why she had ignored Stefan for so long. He was always there, just waiting for her to accept his love. She needed to stop letting herself get wrapped up in whatever this was with Damon, especially if these little interludes they kept having weren't ultimately going anywhere.

"You take her back, I got this," Damon said, still avoiding looking at either of them.

Stefan started to ask him if he was sure, but thought better of it. "Ok. Come on, Elena." He released her and she quickly wiped her eyes.

"Thanks… I'm glad it's over," she said, trying to infuse her words with other meanings. She ignored the look of shock on Stefan's face when she slipped her hand in his as they walked out of the room. She didn't see Damon gritting his teeth as he cleaned up. She looked up at Stefan when he squeezed her hand, sharing a smile with him.

* * *

Stefan paced the living room. After they left the classroom, Elena wanted to go on home. She made her excuses to Bonnie and Caroline, who only raised their eyebrows at her and Stefan looking to all the world as if they were back together. He dropped her off at her house, unsure of what was going on in her head. He didn't want to ask, to pressure her, so he settled for walking her to her door and pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead before letting her go inside. But now that he was back home, he couldn't get that one little comment out of his mind. He noticed Damon's car wasn't back yet, and without thinking, found himself standing in the doorway of Damon's room. He stepped in and scanned the room. He didn't know what he was looking for. Something, anything to disprove his irrational fear.

He searched the room, only looking with his eyes, knowing that Damon would know instantly if he touched or moved anything. He sighed. He was just being ridiculous. He turned to leave, glancing in disgust at the pile of laundry tossed haphazardly by the door. His heart stopped when he saw something peeking out of the pocket of one of Damon's jackets. He crouched down to get a closer look and his jaw tightened. It was a lacy pair of underwear with Elena's scent all over them. He stormed out of the room, not sure where he was going, only knowing that he had to get out of there, and fast.

* * *

Elena brushed her hair for the thousandth time and finally crawled between the sheets, turning off the light and staring at the ceiling in the dark. It was all so much to take in, and her brain didn't know where to start. She got goosebumps and realized that a fairly strong breeze was blowing through her window. She sighed and got up to close it. When she turned around, she decided she wasn't terribly surprised to find Damon sitting on the foot of her bed.

"Hey," he said simply.

"Damon, I'm tired, can we just… do this some other time? I need to go to sleep." She walked right past him, getting back into bed.

"Wow, so this is what it would be like to be married to you," he joked. He noted that Elena did not seem amused. In fact, she turned away from him and closed her eyes. He looked off in the distance, not sure what he wanted to say. To be honest, he wasn't really sure why he was here, only that he had originally planned on coming back here before they went to the dance. He watched her, slightly amused that she was trying so hard to have long, even breaths, despite the fact that he could hear her heart pounding.

"So here's the thing," he started. He figured he would tell her that he was just trying to get information out of that vampire, explaining away her interpretation of just how badly he wanted Katherine to come back. The plans that he'd been spending 145 years on seemed like they could wait awhile until he was done with Elena.

"I'm with Stefan," she said suddenly. That stopped him in his tracks.

"What?"

"I'm with Stefan," she repeated. "At least… I'm going to be. He loves me, and I - I think it's time I stop keeping him at arms length as my friend. If someone loves you, you shouldn't push them away… right?" She waited for what seemed like eternity, but he didn't answer. She opened one eye to make sure he was still there, that the weight she felt at the end of the bed was real. He was, sitting there, still as a statue. "Like the way you love Katherine," she said. He turned to look at her - finally, a reaction!

"Yeah," he said. "Like the way I love Katherine."

It was funny; the words that came out of his mouth didn't match the intense look he was giving her. She swallowed thickly and looked out the window. "Do you really think that vampire was working alone?"

Damon didn't follow her gaze, keeping his eyes fixed on her face. "Not one bit."

"Me either," she said, frowning at the moon.

"I'll stay," Damon said, abruptly getting up and moving to a chair.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You're freaking out because you're worried that whoever he's working with can get into your house. It could be anyone. So I'll stay. You sleep."

"I'm not freaking out," she said grumpily. But inside, she was totally worried, and a little freaked out that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Go to sleep," Damon said.

"But… don't be ridiculous, you need to sleep too," she protested.

"Yeah, about that… I'm kind of nocturnal by nature. I'll be fine," he said with a wink.

"Well… it's your decision, not mine, just remember that," she said before settling in to sleep.

Damon chuckled softly. "As if you'd let me forget."

* * *

Elena was dreaming, but it seemed very real to her. In her dream, Damon was running. She was running too, but he was always three yards ahead of her. All of a sudden, he stopped running, and Elena saw him embrace a version of herself, except she had flowing brown curls and was wearing a dress that looked like it was from the Founder's Day Celebration. The curly-her kissed Damon, and then broke away to look directly at her. She saw her face change and her teeth flash as she charged at dream-Elena, and in that moment she knew it was Katherine. She screamed and managed to wake herself up just as the dream-Katherine was about to reach her.

Her scream woke a lightly dozing Damon who had kicked off his shoes and propped his feet up at the foot of her bed. He tossed aside the jacket in his lap and moved to sit on the bed beside her. "Nightmare?" he asked rhetorically.

"Yeah," she said, still getting used to the waking world.

"The vamp in the hoodie again?" he presumed.

Elena looked at him and was too embarrassed to tell the truth. "Yeah, and he had a mystery partner with him. They were… about to get me, in my room," she lied.

"Hm," Damon said. "Well, lie back down."

Elena looked at him quizzically, but complied. She watched with narrowed eyes as he slid into her bed, fully clothed. "What are you doing?"

"Keeping the nightmares away… and the reality. No one's going to attack you if you're asleep in my arms. Even the bravest of vampires wouldn't have the balls. Or be so stupid." He lay on his side behind her and pulled her up to his chest, sliding an arm around her front and holding her tight. "Relax, I got your back," he quipped. Elena rolled her eyes. As cocky and enigmatic as he was, she couldn't argue with his logic. Though she couldn't figure him out no matter how much energy her brain wasted on him, she couldn't deny that she felt much safer now. She still didn't know what he was doing here, protecting her, when he was that much closer to his goal. She figured by now he would be out there, looking for her ancestor's journal. Still, she wasn't going to argue. And she wasn't going to dwell on how nice it felt to lay here with him, feeling his breath on her neck and his arm possessively holding her close. She didn't know what the morning would bring, but she was determined to make a decision one way or another before the day was out. But for now, she found herself drifting back to sleep, one hand subconsciously sliding down to meet the hand that was holding her...

* * *

_**Author's note: So much turmoil, and so many lies! What do you think the morning will hold for Elena... and Damon... and Stefan? Will Elena really put an end to the "benefits" Damon's been enjoying? Will she run back to Stefan? And would he take her back? What do you think he's going to do about his revelation? **_

_**Thanks for reading, and continue to send me your honest reviews. Hope you enjoyed seeing some of your predictions come true. ;)**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Slight warning here... the ensuing smut gets a bit freaky. It's not usually my style, but hey, this **__**is**__** a vampire fic, after all. (BTW, who else totally enjoyed seeing Damon's man-lines tonight when Elena had to help button his shirt? All hail the DVR and the rewind button.)**_

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A solitary sunbeam streamed through Elena's window, coaxing her awake. She opened one eye and felt an unusual weight balance on her bed. She realized she wasn't alone and then remembered Damon's offer to stay last night, presumably to protect her from whoever that vampire was working with. She could tell he was still asleep by the rise and fall of his chest and took the opportunity to slide out of bed to make a quick trip to the bathroom. She washed her hands and brushed her teeth and tiptoed back into her room. She shivered in the morning cold and decided to slip back under the covers for a few minutes. She told herself it was because she was cold, but in reality, she didn't know what the day was going to hold for her and Damon and Stefan, and she wanted to have these last few quiet moments with Damon in case they never came again. She grinned and shook her head as she noted that he must have gotten hot last night because he was no longer fully clothed, now down to his underwear. He was stretched out on his back, one hand tucked under his pillow, the other splayed across her side of the bed. She slid in beside him, careful not to lay on his extended arm. She propped herself up on one elbow as she lay on her side, watching him sleep peacefully. He seemed so harmless like this, not like a ruthless killer at all. She looked at him and saw that there must have been a time when he was as innocent as he looked asleep. She also never realized how beautiful he was. Sure, she knew he was handsome; she was obviously attracted to him, but she had never taken the time to study his face. She took in his slightly flushed cheeks and his long eyelashes, and found herself reaching out to trace the contours of his face, brushing his hair aside. He stirred in his sleep, his outstretched arm instinctively curling around her and pulling her onto his chest, his hand sliding in between her shirt and her warm back. She stilled her hand, worried she woke him, and tried to ignore his morning wood situation. Her body betrayed her as she felt her nipples harden through her shirt as she was pressed against his bare chest, and she was sure her body was responding in other places. Damon inhaled deeply as he was pulled into consciousness, turning his head and, finding Elena's hand still poised at his cheek, kissed the inside of her wrist. She tried not to smile; he probably didn't know it was her, and it's not like he was some sweet boyfriend expressing himself through endearing gestures. Still, she tingled at the contact.

Damon's eye finally opened, focusing on Elena's face. "Well good morning," he smirked. "Boogeyman didn't get you, I presume?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

"Hm. Told you," he said with a typical half-grin.

"Yes, sleeping with you is a life-saver," she said drolly.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Make sure you spread that around town, ok?"

"Sure," she said with a smirk of her own.

Damon took a moment to notice that despite her calm expression, her eyes were slightly dilated, and her body was all kinds of turned on. He experimentally ran his fingers up and down her lower back, noting with satisfaction that she tried to hide her sharp intake of breath.

"Damon, we can't…" she warned as he pulled his other hand from beneath the pillow to slide her tank top strap aside, lifting his head to place open-mouthed kisses from her shoulder to her neck.

"Sure we can…" he replied, nibbling her ear.

Elena tried to summon the willpower to refuse him. "You… you're going to have Katherine back soon, and I'll probably get back together with Stefan, and we just… oh…." her thoughts dissipated into feelings as he rolled her onto her back, pushing up her shirt to take a breast in his mouth as he teasingly ground his hips into hers.

"So then let's make the most of this one last time, shall we?" Damon said, sliding down and pulling her pajama pants off in one fluid motion. She looked down to see his mischievous grin at her hips, the sheets crowning his head.

"Damon," she protested, though it was very unconvincing. Her eyes widened as he smirked and playfully pulled her panties down with his teeth. When he slowly slid back up her body, she noticed that he divested himself of his own underwear while he was down there. With a sigh of defeat, she allowed him to peel her shirt off, leaving them totally naked. "You know," she said, as he kissed her neck and ran a hand down her side, "I'm usually a very strong person. I have refused the advances of many eligible guys. I've done a pretty decent job of not letting my popularity at school manifest itself as the popularity of my bed. But you… I don't know how you do it, but you break through all my barriers and make me bend the rules for you."

"That's because I rock your world, baby," Damon smirked.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Ugh, 'baby'? Seriously? You - mmm…" Elena forgot her feminist diatribe as Damon shut her up with a kiss. She wound her arms around him, enjoying the sensations he was building in her, and unabashedly enjoying the pure maleness of his weight pressing upon her. She slid one leg along his, wrapping it around his hips, earning a moan from Damon. She smiled against his lips; she loved those moments when she was able to get a reaction out of him. She knew they were rare.

Damon kissed her slowly, at first teasing her by nipping at her top lip, then her bottom. When she licked his lip in response, he opened his mouth, sliding his tongue into hers and taking his time exploring every crevice. Elena made small murmurs of satisfaction. Everything else aside, she believed she would be truly happy just kissing him forever. She was so into the kiss that it barely registered when he pulled back ever so slightly, parting her legs, and inched himself into her with great restraint. She instinctively wrapped her other leg around him as he set an excruciatingly slow pace, pulling almost completely out of her each time. His tongue matched his cock in pace and rhythm, leaving Elena craving more. She clung to him, trying to absorb his body into hers as he moved oh so slowly in and out. Of all the positions they'd been in over the past week or two - wow, had it really not been that long? - she secretly liked this the best. When he was kissing her like this and taking it nice and slow, she could convince herself that he was being tender, and… dare she say it… loving. In these moments, she pretended that he cared for her as much as she imagined, making the whole torn-between-two-brothers feeling justified. Her body hummed as the sweat slowly began to build between them, making the sensation of his body sliding against hers all that more delicious. She couldn't help but pout when he tore his lips from hers, but the pout turned to a moan when he kissed down her neck, finding the pulse point that was both their favorite spots. She threaded her fingers through his hair as he paid such close attention to her neck. She nipped at his ear, eliciting a growl from Damon. The instinct surprised her, and for the first time she wondered what it would truly be like to be bitten, and to bite in return. Was that a turn-on for vampires?

Per usual, Damon seemed to have the uncanny ability to read her mind without having to use his abilities. "Curious?" he asked simply, breathing into her ear.

"H…huh?" Elena said.

Damon smiled against her jaw, letting his face change just enough for his canines to dart out and gingerly touch her skin without breaking it, making her shiver in… fear? Excitement? "If you let me taste yours, I'll let you taste mine," he said in a quiet sing-song voice. Elena didn't know what to say. "That is… unless you're scared," he taunted.

Her eyes flashed. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Hmm," Damon said, still slowly moving within her. In a blur of motion, he cut his own wrist with his razor-sharp teeth and held it near her head, careful not to let his blood spill on her pillow. "It's your call, Elena," he said, his face back to normal.

She didn't know why she did it. Maybe it was to prove something to Damon, or to prove something to herself. But in what felt like slow motion, she lifted her head off the pillow and took a tentative lick of Damon's wrist. She had no adjectives in her brain to describe the taste. It wasn't like human blood, not like when she would accidentally bite her lip or suck a papercut wound off her finger. But she had no comparison to it. It wasn't horrible, yet it wasn't necessarily delicious. It was just… Damon. And with that realization, she returned her lips to his wrist.

He closed his eyes in satisfaction, knowing that he was inside Elena in more than one way. He allowed his face to change and leaned down to take Elena's virgin neck. He knew he wouldn't be compelling her to forget afterward so he wanted to be careful and not let his instincts take over. With just the smallest, most necessary prick of his teeth, he sank his mouth onto her neck, slowly drawing out the sweet nectar that was her blood. It was even better than he'd imagined. He struggled with himself not to drain her completely and forced himself to stop before she lost consciousness. He pulled away, licking his lips and slowly licking closed the small wound. His teeth retracted and his face returned to normal as he noticed Elena was no longer drinking from his wrist, her mouth open in a silent "o" as she came around him. The sensation of him feeding on her was surprisingly pleasurable, and plenty erotic. Damon moved his wrist away as it healed itself and waited for Elena to open her eyes. When she finally did, she had no words for him. It took everything within him not to change as he looked at her, eyes wide and a drop of his blood still on her lips. He was sure she could see traces of her blood still on his mouth. He growled and bent down to kiss her, their blood mixing as they attacked each others' mouths with equal passion and ferocity. Damon's thrusts began to incrementally increase in speed, making Elena moan all over again. He broke the kiss as he came harder than he'd ever come before, plunging deep inside her while she clung to him desperately, the only thought in her head was that she wanted more. More everything. More Damon.

He collapsed on top of her, Elena still peppering kisses along his jaw and neck. His chest rumbled as he laughed. "Damn, girl, you are insatiable," he said, rolling onto his back. She moved to straddle him in role reversal, a slightly predatory look to her face.

"Is it any wonder I can't get enough of you? Surely you're cocky enough to assume that," she said, slowly rubbing herself on his crotch, teasing him as he quickly became aware she was ready for a second round.

"Well, I _am_ a sexy beast," he said with a trademark sideways grin.

Elena tossed her hair and laughed. "You're an ass."

"And you've got a fine one," he said, gripping her ass as he guided her to his now fully-erect cock. She bit her lip as she sank down on top of him and squeaked in surprise when he drew up his knees to sandwich her between his thighs and his chest, pressing her so close her breasts rubbed his chest with every movement. He watched as she moved up and down, using both his hands to run through her hair, oftentimes pulling her head from one side to the other to pay attention to her neck, resisting the urge to drink again. All the added friction made Elena come again, and she bit down hard on Damon's neck as she pulsed around him. He groaned and came with her. When she was too sensitive to move any more, she sank all the way down, wanting to be full of him one last time. Her breathing finally slowed as she stared at him, loving the fact that he looked totally satiated and it was all her doing. He traced her nearly imperceptible bite marks with an index finger, smiling in the knowledge that even if she went back to Stefan today, she would be forever marked as his. Take that, fucker.

Elena didn't want to move, but knew that she had to. Pretty soon, Jenna would be calling her for breakfast, and she was frankly a bit worried that the sex sounds traveled beyond her four walls. She sighed and reluctantly climbed out of Damon's lap, moving to sit beside him and pulling up the sheets to cover herself.

"So what are your plans for this glorious day?"Damon said, stretching out his arms and legs. Oh yeah, he felt good.

Elena shrugged and picked at her comforter. "Not much. I'm going to Bonnie's house in a little while, but tonight is family night so I have to be back for dinner with Jenna and Jeremy. You?"

"What's Jeremy up to today?" Damon asked casually.

Elena narrowed her eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Damon looked at her. "Your ancestor's journal is apparently a hot property right now, and I need to call dibs before somebody else finds it first."

Dammit. She knew reality would creep in before she was ready. "So you want to be the first one to get the journal. Why did you waste all this time here when you could have been out looking for it?" she said bitterly.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Do you have short-term amnesia or something? You do remember the insanely hot sex, right?"

Elena ignored him. "Well fine. Go, then. You've made your choice, just go." She realized she sounded like a petulant child, but she needed him to leave before her emotions got the better of her.

Damon just looked at her. She had gone from zero to freak in a matter of seconds. Women were crazy. "I'm sorry, is there a problem here?"

"No. Go find your long-lost love. No one's stopping you. But… I don't _this_ should continue," she said, pulling the sheets tighter around herself.

This was ridiculous. She was being so hypocritical. "Are you still getting back together with Stefan?" Damon asked matter-of-factly.

"Are you still going to open the tomb?" Elena countered.

"Probably. One doesn't just drop 145 years worth of plans over a burgeoning friendship," he said.

That hurt more than she cared to admit. Elena looked away sadly, biting her lip to keep it from trembling. "Well then there's nothing more to say. I mean, we can still be friends… just… only friends. You know what I mean."

Damon dressed in a flash. "Fine. This was getting complicated anyway. I'll see you around." He walked to the window and jumped out silently. Elena waited until she was sure he'd gone before burying her head in her pillow and finally releasing the tears she had been holding back.

* * *

Stefan was pacing his room. Where the hell was Damon? He never came home last night and Stefan was too angry to go out to look for him. He was afraid of where he would find him. He continued pacing his room, trying to get a hold of his anger. He was practically wearing a rut into the flooring when he heard the shower running down the hall. Damon must have snuck home, the bastard. He clenched his jaw and headed to Damon's room to wait for him.

Damon toweled off his hair as he stepped out of the shower. He pulled on his boxer-briefs and exited the bathroom to an unpleasant welcome.

"Where were you last night, Damon?" Stefan said. Damon noticed there was an unusual edge to his voice, but he didn't have time to play Stefan's games. He was already in a bad mood as it was.

"Out."

"Out where?" he insisted.

"Why do you care?" Damon said, walking past him, grabbing a pair of jeans and pulling a t-shirt over his head. He left his room with Stefan trailing behind him.

"Were you at Elena's?"

Damon didn't even look at him, searching the living room for a pair of shoes. "Now why would you assume that," he said, finding a decent pair and putting them on.

"Oh I don't know, a wild guess. Tell me… how long have you been sleeping with her?" Stefan accused.

Damon stopped. "Interesting question. How long haven't you?"

Stefan advanced so fast that Damon didn't see it coming, and before he knew it, Stefan's hand was clamped around this throat, pinning him to the wall.

Damon appeared unfazed by the show of brute strength. "Wow, somebody ate their Wheaties this morning. Nice touch. Listen, I'm not sleeping with your erstwhile girlfriend, don't get your panties in a twist." Technically he wasn't lying. He was no longer sleeping with Elena… as of approximately 10:42 this morning.

Unfortunately for Damon, he didn't realize that he just put his foot in his mouth with the whole panties comment. Stefan growled. "Stop lying to me, Damon. I know there's something up. I just don't know for how long, or how you managed to trick her into it, but I saw the evidence in your room."

Damon thought fast. Elena had never been in his room. How could he possibly know? Oh yeah… that one time in Elena's kitchen. Her panties must still be in his pocket. Oops. "Well there was that one time, but it hardly counts. It was on our little road trip. The tequila did flow, and slightly impaired our judgment. But don't worry, kiddo. I'm sure our drunken fumblings are nothing in comparison to your epic romance," he said dryly. He didn't have time for Stefan's drama today. Lying seemed the best solution.

Stefan gave him a hard look. "One time. In Georgia?"

Damon nodded. Stefan slowly released him and backed away. "And… and it didn't mean anything, right?"

Damon raised an eyebrow. "What is this, a prime time teen soap? When have you _ever_ known it to mean anything to me?"

Stefan shook his head. "I don't know… a few months ago I would have said never, but now I'm not so sure. You're different around Elena."

"Psh. Different how?" Damon said.

"It's clear you care about her."

Damon rolled his eyes. "What is it with everyone around here? Why does everyone think I'm such a caring individual? How many people does a guy have to kill to dispel this slanderous character assassination?"

Stefan frowned in thought. "I can't put my finger on it, but for some reason you seem to care about Elena. I just feel sorry for you, I suppose."

Damon gave him a look. "Really. And why is that?"

Stefan smiled grimly. "Because. Because you love Katherine, and she's locked up in a tomb that you can't open, and you care for Elena, who's in love with me. I guess it just sucks to be you."

"I wouldn't be so sure about her feelings if I were you," Damon said dangerously, folding his arms.

"That's because you don't know Elena like I do," Stefan said with a smile. Damon could try to plant all the seeds of doubt he wanted to, but Stefan refused to let him succeed.

Damon just looked at him. Words were not a good idea right now. "Right. Well, I have a journal to read, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend some quality time with Jeremy." He grabbed his keys and headed for the door.

"Just stay away from Elena," Stefan called after him.

"Keep livin' that dream, bro," Damon replied, shutting the door behind him.

Stefan shook his head. His brother was unbelievable. But Damon was also cunning, and he was sure at some point he would discover the location of Emily's grimoire and try to open the tomb. He needed to figure out a way to keep that from happening. Or maybe… maybe he would let it happen. If he could get Damon to agree to let him help, when they opened the tomb, they could lock Damon in there, and he would be rid of him forever. He decided it was time for a trip to Bonnie's…

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_**Author's note: Interesting, no? This was originally going to be a longer chapter, but that felt like a natural stopping point. Next chapter we'll follow the characters through their day and find out what they're up to. So let's see... how do you think Elena and Damon will fare as "just friends?" And do you think he's still single-minded about releasing Katherine, or are there other, secret motives driving him? What about the other vampires? And what of Stefan's new plans? Please continue to send your kickass reviews. I love reading about your favorite bits and your predictions. Thanks for reading!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: So let me start by saying your reviews, again, amaze me. I alternate between warm and fuzzy feelings and literally laughing out loud at some of your comments. Also, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself because up until now I was just writing whatever popped into my brain and flowed to the keyboard (literally - no planning, just typing as it comes to me), but since major plot events are about to happen, I had to make myself outline the rest of the story, and I've basically got it figured out. So yay me. :) Anyway, read on for my Damonic version of events...**_

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**Chapter 12**

Elena smiled and typed out a reply to Caroline's text as she walked to her front door. Caroline and Bonnie wanted to meet her at the Grill after family night dinner was over, and she was long overdue for some girl talk. Elena paused on the front porch. She could smell dinner and was thoroughly confused; Jenna's culinary talents only extended to a range of about five meals, all of them humble. And this smelled ambitious. She unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Hey," Jeremy said, not looking up from his video game.

"Hey," Elena said, dropping her purse on the couch. She peered around the corner.

"Hello, Elena," Damon said, his back to her. Jenna giggled from her perch on the kitchen counter.

"How did you do that?" Jenna said, her voice tinged with wonder.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Please do _not_ refill that glass," she told Damon as he was about to tip the wine bottle toward Jenna's now-empty glass. He looked innocent and nodded in acceptance, cheers-ing the bottle in Elena's direction before taking a swig from it.

"Elena, you didn't tell me Damon was coming over for family night - not that I mind," Jenna said, pretending to admonish her. "You also didn't tell me what an amazing cook he is!"

"Well I guess it runs in the family," Elena said with a hint of sarcasm. She was rewarded with a sinister smirk from Damon.

"Yeah, well, I've had _years_ to practice," Damon said. Elena's eyes widened and she gave him a warning look. He chuckled silently and checked the sauce, sprinkling in a few spices.

"Hey, um, Jenna, Jeremy wanted to ask you about… something… he's in the living room," Elena said. Lame, but effective.

Jenna gave her a knowing wink and hopped off the counter. "Ok, ok, I'll get out of the kitchen. I'll leave you to it," she said, hip-checking Elena as she walked out.

Elena sighed in exasperation, both at the situation and Damon's apparent enjoyment of it. She placed her hands on her hips and approached Damon. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, trying to keep her voice down.

Damon looked around as if he were checking for listening ears. "Cooking," he said in stage whisper. Elena rolled her eyes again. "Here, try this," he said in a normal voice, holding out a spoon.

"Damon, I don't want to -" he didn't really give her a choice. "Mmm…" she said appreciatively. "That's amazing. What did you put in that sauce?"

Damon shook his finger at her. "Ah, a chef never divulges secret family recipes." He looked at her, an evil grin appearing on his face. "You've got a little…" he leaned over, about to lick some sauce from the corner of her mouth. She dodged the attempt, instead wiping it away with a finger.

"Thanks," she said wryly. He huffed and returned to stirring. "So what are you really doing here?" she insisted.

Damon shrugged. "I was merely going to ask Jeremy a few simple questions, and your aunt - very obliging, sweet girl - assumed you invited me to dinner. I couldn't be rude."

"Oh, couldn't you," Elena said. It seemed that the more irritated she got, the more amused he was.

"Well when she started her pitiful attempt at spaghetti, I felt it only right and good that I assist. And by assist, I mean relegate her to salad duty while I rescued what would have been a pathetic meal, even by human standards. You're welcome."

Elena didn't have a response. He kind of had her there; and was that sauce made from scratch?

"Speaking of which, there are some carrots calling your name, ready to be sliced since you kicked dear Jenna out of the kitchen," he said. She might as well be useful.

Elena sighed and walked over to the island to begin chopping vegetables for the salad. She lost herself in the repetitive motion and they worked in a comfortable silence. Comfortable, that is, until she glanced up and her eyes fell on the bit of wall where he took her so violently that one time. She let herself daydream for a moment until she felt a sharp sting.

"Ow, dammit!" She looked down to see she cut her finger. It wasn't very deep, but enough that she ought to clean it before finding a band-aid. She stuck her finger in her mouth and tried to remember if they had any first aid stuff in the kitchen. Before she knew it, Damon sped up to her, looking down in concern as he pulled the finger out of her mouth. When he realized the cut wasn't very deep, he smirked.

"Here, let me take care of that." He raised her finger to his lips and swirled his tongue over the cut. Elena's breath hitched in her throat as he took her finger into his mouth, ever so slightly sucking it. He slowly pulled it from his lips and showed it to her. "All better now."

Elena's eyes widened as she noticed that the cut was beginning to heal itself. "How the…"

"You've still got quite a bit of vampire blood in your system from… earlier," he reminded her. She blushed at the memory of their lively lovemaking session this morning and mentally cursed him for bringing it up when she was determined to keep them firmly in the friends zone. That was kind of hard when the sheer memory of what he did to her made her tingle in all the wrong - or right - places.

Jenna chose that moment to check on them. "Everything alright in here?" She took in the scene; Damon and Elena standing close together, him holding her hand up between them.

"Yeah, fine," Elena said, snatching her hand out of his and grabbing the salad bowl. "Let's set the table."

* * *

Jenna insisted on cleaning up since she let Damon cook the meal, and Elena volunteered to help, not wanting to be in the same room as him. He and Jeremy were currently engrossed in a video game.

"So… Damon, huh?" Jenna said, trying to get a response from Elena.

"What about him," she said grumpily.

"Are you two…"

"No! God, no," Elena denied. She also knew full well that Damon could hear their entire conversation from the other room.

"Huh. Because that's not what it looks like from where I'm standing. Are you sure nothing happened on your little road trip?"

"Jenna!" Elena protested, grabbing a plate from her hands to put it away.

"Hey, I'm not judging. I mean, look at him, he's incredibly hot."

Elena's cheeks burned. She would bet money that Damon was smirking on the other side of that sofa."Damon's just a friend."

"Ok, if you say so. You just seem different around him than you are with Stefan. Be careful there."

"I will," Elena said, thoroughly embarrassed.

Jenna considered the matter closed, having successfully straddled the line between cool aunt and parental figure.

"Hey, Jenna, is it ok if I go to the Grill? Caroline and Bonnie want to meet up. I think Matt's working tonight and we want to be supportive, you know, leave big tips so his bosses think he's awesome."

"Sure. Back by midnight?"

"Yeah. I'll text you with a heads up if either of them want to sleep over. I think it's my turn to host," Elena said, grateful Jenna was letting her go so easily. She could finally have a Damon-free environment, and her friends would definitely be able to keep her mind off things. Besides, even though Bonnie knew what was really up, Caroline had no idea.

"Later," Elena said, grabbing her purse and heading for the door. She almost made it when...

"Wait up," Jeremy said, pausing his game and turning off the TV. "Thanks, Damon," he said.

"Oh, anytime, J," Damon said in his big-brother voice, clapping Jeremy on the shoulder.

"I'll just get my jacket," Jeremy said, disappearing up the stairs. Elena glared at Damon.

He maintained a look of innocence that she was sure was meant to look endearing. "Jeremy's meeting his friend at the Grill tonight. I offered to chaperone… and drive."

"Perfect, you can take Elena," Jenna offered. If looks could kill…

"Oh, you really don't have to," Elena said through gritted teeth.

"I insist," Damon smiled. "Jenna, are you up for it?"

"Sadly, no, I think I'll stay here, clean up a bit in case Elena's friends stay over," Jenna said.

"Suit yourself," Damon said, his eyes never leaving Elena's.

Jeremy trotted down the stairs. "Let's go!"

* * *

"Elena!" Bonnie and Caroline chorused, waving her over. Their faces faltered when they saw that Elena had company. Jeremy broke away to find his friend.

Elena tried to apologize with her eyes as Damon sauntered in behind her. "Hey guys. Damon drove Jeremy here so I hitched a ride."

"Yeah, I really think it's important that we all go green, don't you?" Damon said, clapping his hands together and rubbing them. The girls rolled their eyes and headed to a booth. Before she could protest, Damon slid in beside Elena, effectively trapping her in. He kicked back, resting one arm across the back of the booth and ignored the venomous look she gave him. If he even dared to drop that arm down to her shoulders… well, she would find some way to get back at him.

Bonnie and Elena exchanged glances from across the table, each trying to find a less-than-awkward way to start the conversation. Caroline was not so subtle.

"I'm sorry, why are you here?" she said, cocking her head to one side.

"Well, I've always been curious about girl talk, you know, sleepovers and all that," he said with an insincere smile. "So tell me… do you really have pillow fights in your underwear?"

"Damon, I swear to God…" "Ugh!" "You have got to be kidding me." Their responses overlapped, prompting a chuckle from Damon. Matt arrived in the nick of time.

"Hey, so can I take your orders?" he said tersely. He didn't like how closely Damon was sitting to Elena. Damon sensed it, quite enjoying the moment. Caroline sensed it too, and unsuccessfully tried to restrain her jealousy. Bonnie just shook her head. _Someone_ had to speak.

"Yeah… just… a strawberry milkshake, I guess," Bonnie said.

"Diet Coke," Caroline said, trying to flash a pretty smile at Matt. It faltered when he didn't seem to notice. He was currently glaring at Damon.

"Uh… I'll have a chocolate shake," Elena said.

"You know, I don't recall that being your drink of choice, at least, not the other night," Damon said, looking her up and down. Elena tried not to let the panic show in her eyes. He was looking at her as if he'd seen her naked… which of course he had, but two of these people would be hurt by that knowledge. He either got the message or had pushed it as far as he wanted to go for the moment. "Double scotch on the rocks," he said to Matt. Matt just locked his jaw and walked away.

"I need a bathroom break," Bonnie said suddenly.

"I'll go with you," Caroline said, shooting Elena a dirty look. They disappeared around the corner.

Elena punched Damon in the side. He didn't even bother to fake the pain. "What was that for?"

"Seriously, Damon? You even have to ask?" Her phone buzzed, signaling a text.

He ignored her. "Aw, are they texting you from the bathroom, wondering when big, bad Damon is going to leave you alone so you can dish about how amazing the sex is?"

"No!" she said sharply. "And shut up, why don't you? We are friends, Damon, friends. You're trying to make it seem like more to my other friends, and it's just going to hurt people if they know how things used to be, so stop it. I mean it."

Damon almost looked chagrined, though it was tinged with a smoldering irritation. "You mean you're worried they'll tell your recently reinstated boyfriend?"

Elena looked at her phone. The text was from Stefan. Damon craned his head to look, rolling his eyes. "Speak of the devil. His timing is impeccable, don't you think?"

Elena bit her lip. Stefan wanted to check in with her, make sure she was alright. She texted him back, saying she was out with the girls and would probably have a sleepover. She said she'd call him tomorrow. She tried to ignore Damon reading over her shoulder and thought back to this afternoon. She had planned on going to Bonnie's to hang out, but found herself in front of Stefan's house. She had gone in and apologized for taking so long to talk to him, but all was forgiven. She let him hug and kiss her and tell her everything would be alright. He was so earnest, she believed him. She made the decision then and there to try to deserve Stefan and be a model girlfriend. Her plans, however, seemed to go off-course every time Damon insinuated himself into her life.

"Ok, you've got to go. I mean it. Caroline's pissed enough as it is about Matt, which I have no control over. You, however," she started.

Damon raised an eyebrow and interrupted her. "I'm sorry, were you about to say you have control over me? Because there's only one position where that was even _remotely_ true…"

"Stop it!" she said a bit too loudly, drawing attention from a nearby table. She looked away, embarrassed. "Just… please, Damon, be somewhere else right now. The bar, with Jeremy, it doesn't matter. My friends won't talk to me until you leave, I know it."

Damon sighed and stood up. It wasn't like he was doing it for her; he had a goal of his own for this evening. "Fine. They've been lurking by the bathroom so long that they're starting to creep out the patrons. I'll be with Jeremy if you need me." He grabbed his drink off the tray as Matt approached the table, earning yet another dirty look. He winked at Matt and took a sip as he walked away.

"Don't hold your breath," she said sarcastically. Why in the world would she need him?

* * *

"So tell me again how you know this Anna chick?" Damon said, trying not to appear as bored as he was. He kept glancing over at Elena and her friends, and right on cue, every time, Elena's eyes met his, like she could feel him looking at her. It gave him a little jolt of satisfaction.

"I met her in the library. I think it's what Elena would call a 'cute-meet' scenario. We bumped heads over picking up some books we dropped… the rest is history," Jeremy said.

"So are you dating?" Damon said.

"No. I mean, she's hot, but weird."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Hot and weird? Let me tell you something, kid, hot trumps weird. Every time."

"Oh yeah?" Jeremy raised an eyebrow, interested.

"Trust me," Damon said. "You see, sometimes in life you meet women who completely confound you. Take this one girl I know, for example. She is infuriating. She loves me, she loves someone else, she can't decide where her loyalties lie, she's got me wrapped around her little finger, which when you've been around as long as I have is really saying something… but she's effin' hot and amazing in the sack, so what do you do? There are a million reasons why I shouldn't give a shit, but there's something about her that just…" Damon trailed off, lost in thought. "Hot trumps weird. Period."

Jeremy looked at him, amused. "Dude, if you're into my sister, it's cool."

"Your sister? Who said anything about Elena?"

Jeremy gave him a sideways smile. "Listen, it's pretty obvious you're into her, and not just to me," he said, gesturing to where Matt was currently busing a table and giving Damon the evil eye. "But you should know it's ok if you are. Jenna and I… we like you. Having you around for family night was kind of fun." He shrugged and looked down, self-consciously. "Those happy times… they're kind of rare right now, you know?"

Damon wasn't sure what was happening...was he feeling - empathy? He cleared his throat. "Thanks, but I'm not into Elena. She's…" he glanced over to the booth where she was laughing over something with her girlfriends, "a little young for me," smiling at his own joke.

"Ok, whatever," Jeremy said in a tone that meant he still believed otherwise. Damon chose to ignore it, if for nothing else but to move on to the next topic.

"So, that famous journal…"

"Oh, yeah, Mr. Saltzman had it. I was gonna get it back to show it to Anna. She's on this crazy kick that there might have been vampires in Mystic Falls," he said, rolling his eyes. He missed Damon's sudden alertness.

"Oh really? And what else does Anna say?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I dunno. She's just kind of a crazy stalker chick right now. I think being home-schooled means she isn't exactly properly socialized, and I think I'm like her current project-slash-obsession."

"Uh huh," Damon said, ignoring the boring stuff about his love life. "Listen, do you know if Mr. Saltzman left the journal at school, or do you think he took it home?"

Jeremy looked at him strangely. "I don't know… I didn't exactly ask him where he was taking it. I'll get it back on Monday if you want to see it first."

"Yeah, that would be great," Damon said casually. There was no way in hell he was waiting until Monday to get his hands on that journal.

"Oh, there's Anna - do you wanna meet her?" Jeremy said. Damon sensed the mix of intrigue and indecision in his voice.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna get a refill and crash the party," he said, gesturing to Elena's table.

"Alright," Jeremy said. He walked to the door and greeted a petite brunette.

Damon's eyes widened in surprise. Annabelle? What the hell was she doing here? He thought back… Pearl. She must want to release Pearl from the tomb and found out about the existence of the grimoire, doing research of her own. It made sense that she would send her minions to do the dirty work. Now that he thought about it, he vaguely recognized the vampire they killed. Nathaniel… Nicholas… Noel… Noah! That was it. He watched from the bar as Annabelle excused herself from Jeremy on the premise of going to the bathroom.

Damon was waiting for her.

"Well well well, if it isn't little Annabelle, skulking around town playing creepy wannabe girlfriend to young master Gilbert," he said, arm folded.

Anna just looked at him. "You know, I'm actually surprised. Considering the amount of time you spend around the Gilbert family," she said with a pointed grin toward Elena, "one would think you'd already have your hands on this," she said, revealing the journal from her satchel. Damon moved to grab it from her hands, but she yanked it away with lightning speed. "Uh-uh-uh," she admonished. "Manners, please, Mr. Salvatore."

He flashed an insincere smile. "Let me see it. _Please_," he said with exaggeration.

She smirked and handed it over. He flipped through it, finding a very interesting passage before snapping it closed and handing it back.

Anna smiled. "Since all the other idiots failed me and you want the same thing I do, I propose we work together to open this thing."

"Sorry, sweetheart, I work alone," Damon said, starting to walk away. Anna had him pinned to the wall before he even took a step.

"Don't be a fool," she hissed. "You can have your precious Katherine. I just want my mother. And you know as well as I do that I have a far deeper knowledge of Emily and her spells than you do. Just tell me what you got out of the journal that I'm missing and we can open the damn tomb."

"Ok," Damon acquiesced. He waited until she relented before his parting shot. "Nothing. It said absolutely nothing of value. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to keep looking for a founding family journal that actually has something useful to say." He sped away as she digested the information, out of her grasp and in the safety of the crowded Grill. If she wanted to confront him again, she'd have to blow her cover. And she did not buy his story for a second. She knew he found something in that journal, and she was going to force him to play ball whether he liked it or not. And she knew exactly what her next move was going to be.

* * *

"See ya," Elena said, hugging Caroline briefly before she walked away. Matt had just gotten off of work and she was determined to hang out with him in the hopes that she could turn it into a date without him realizing it. Bonnie grinned and shook her head, knowing Elena was just as amused as she was. Sometimes, there was nothing more entertaining or powerful than Caroline when she decided she wanted something.

"So I had a visit from Stefan today," Bonnie started. Elena shook her head and placed a finger on her lips, her eyes darting to the corner where Damon was talking with some girl.

"Oh, right," Bonnie said. "Um… here." She picked up her phone and communicated through it instead, typing furiously: _"So Stefan told me about Damon's plan to open the tomb using a spell from Emily's grimoire. He told me he knows where the grimoire is - apparently he read it from some journal he found on a teacher's desk. Anyway, he's going to get the grimoire tonight so he can force Damon to have to work with him to open the tomb."_

Elena finished reading her phone and typed a simple question. _"Why?"_

Bonnie replied. _"Apparently he wants to lock Damon in the tomb. I know you've been chummy with him lately, but you have to see that he's evil and must be stopped. Stefan told me because he knows that Grams and I will have to be the ones to do it, to open the tomb."_

Elena sat back. She didn't know what to think. How could Stefan plan something like this and not tell her? Or maybe he was planning on telling her later. Still, for all that Damon's done in the past, Elena was hoping that something in him remembered his humanity. After all, he did keep his promise not to kill anyone in Mystic Falls. And he didn't deserve to die like that, withering away to nothing, basically starving to death. She had to save him. And she couldn't tell Stefan a thing. She returned to her phone. _"Bonnie, I know it's hard to understand, but we can't leave Damon in there. We've got to figure out a way to keep him from getting locked in."_

Bonnie shook her head. _"He must be really good in bed for you to want to save his sorry ass."_

Elena blushed. _"It's not that at all. It's just… I know he has good left in him. I've seen it. I've seen him grant mercy where normally he would have killed without thinking twice. That's got to be worth something, and we've got to help him if we can."_

Bonnie looked away. _"Well… what about Katherine? What about the other vampire he wants to release upon us?"_

Elena swallowed. _"I don't know. But I think she's the only reason he came to Mystic Falls. I'm sure once he has her back, they'll leave. We'll probably never hear from them again."_

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. _"You think?"_

Elena nodded resolutely. _"If I ask him to leave and explain why, I'm sure he will."_

Bonnie looked at her and spoke aloud. "But do you really want him to?"

Elena bit a trembling lip. "No," she whispered, looking down into her lap. Bonnie reached over and took her hand from across the table, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Ooh, some lady lovin'. Seems like I came back at just the right time," Damon said, showing up at the table. Bonnie rolled her eyes and let go of Elena's hand. "What are the chances of a threesome, hm?" he asked lasciviously. Elena snorted.

"Not in this lifetime," she said.

Damon smirked. "Interesting turn of phrase. Not exactly applicable to my situation, I'm afraid."

Bonnie slid out of the booth. "Listen, I gotta go. I told Grams I wouldn't be out late and I've got some… studying to do. I'll text you later, ok?" she said to Elena. Elena nodded.

"Bye bye, Bonnie Blue. Call me. Text me. Or better yet - sext me!" Damon said to her back as she left.

"You're incorrigible," Elena said, smiling in spite of herself.

"That's what they tell me. So I think it's time for you and Jeremy to head home. Tell me - do you think he's invited his friend Anna into the house?"

Elena frowned. "I don't know - I don't think so, why?"

"It would be best if he didn't."

Elena's eyes widened. "Oh no."

"Oh yes. Call Stefan. I'm taking you and Jeremy home. Have Stefan meet us there," Damon instructed.

"But, why…"

"Just do it," he said.

"Ok," Elena said. She wasn't used to this, Damon being all business. She called Stefan. "Hey… what are you doing right now?"

* * *

Damon pulled up to the house and saw that Stefan was waiting for them on the front porch. He smiled at Elena, a rare, genuine, reassuring smile. "You'll be fine," he said. He turned to Jeremy. "Later, dude," he said playfully.

Jeremy grinned. "Later." He got out of the car and headed inside, passing Stefan as he approached the car. Stefan opened Elena's door for her and she stepped out. He held on to the open door.

"Stay with her until I get back," Damon said.

"Why, where are you going?" Stefan asked.

"None of your business. Just stay here."

Stefan reluctantly moved to shut the door, but was stopped by Elena. "Wait a second," she said. She leaned down into the car, her long hair brushing the passenger seat. She reached out to Damon, her hand grasping his forearm. "Just… whatever you're doing, be careful out there, ok?"

Damon looked at her with surprise. He glanced at the hand resting on his arm, then back up at her face. She squeezed his arm and then pulled out of the car, standing up and tucking her hair behind her ears. She nodded to Stefan who shut the car door. They watched as Damon sped away.

Stefan waited until he was out of earshot. "I've got to go," he told Elena.

"What? But he just said you had to stay with me," she protested.

"I know," Stefan said, tracing her cheek and cupping her chin, pressing a kiss to her lips. "I don't have time to explain right now, but I think I know where he's going, and I have to stop him, or at least get there first. I'll tell you everything later."

"But-"

"Trust me," Stefan said. Elena sighed. She knew he meant well, and normally she would trust him, but she already had a bad feeling about this. Stefan noticed her expression, but he was determined to stop Damon. If Katherine was released, Elena would be in more danger than she had ever been in yet, and he couldn't let anything happen to her. "I'll be back soon." He kissed her once more, then disappeared.

Elena sighed as she trudged up the walkway to her house. She ascended the first porch step before a hand clamped over her mouth from behind. She tried to scream. Then everything went black.

* * *

_**Author's note: Wow, cliffhanger of all cliffhangers, huh? You know you simultaneously love and hate me right now. :) So what do you think? Who do you think Damon was talking about in his little speech to Jeremy? And what's going to happen next? Remember, this is my version of events - nothing's canon anymore! Thanks for reading and please leave more of those fabulous and creative reviews!**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Again, loving your reviews! You are such a lovely, intelligent, intuitive bunch. I'm glad you share my addiction. :) Without further ado, I present my version of "Fool Me Once." **_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Elena felt awful. She had a massive headache and her whole body felt heavy. She opened one eye first, then the other, revealing a dingy hotel room not unlike the one she and Damon stayed in when they were in Georgia. A tiny part of her expected him to emerge from the bathroom. Instead, it was a familiar face from the past.

"Ben?" she said groggily. She squinted as the hotel room door opened, the lamp post from outside shining into the room.

"Yep, his little secret's out of the bag, at least to you and your witchy woman," Anna said, stepping inside and locking the door. "How's everything?" she directed at Ben.

"Fine. She's in the tub, still unconscious."

"Excellent," Anna replied.

Elena looked around in a panic. "Who's in the tub?"

Anna smiled viciously. "Your friend, Bonnie. Keep up, girl."

Elena bolted out of the bed and into the bathroom to check on Bonnie. Anna rolled her eyes.

"I swear I didn't do any permanent damage," Ben said.

Elena crouched by the tub, willing Bonnie to wake up. "Bonnie! Bonnie, come on, answer me," she said, gently shaking her shoulder.

Bonnie groaned. "Elena? What happened, where are we?"

"We're in some hotel, I'm guessing on the outskirts of town. Are you ok?"

Bonnie shifted slightly, sitting up. "Yeah, I'm fine, I think. I just have a headache."

"Me too," Elena said, relieved.

Bonnie's eyes cleared as she remembered. "I was talking to Ben outside the Grill and he kissed me and then I knew that he was a-"

"I know. He's in the room," Elena said, glancing at the bathroom door.

"I don't remember what happened next. Maybe he knocked me unconscious."

"Can you stand up?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, I think so." She let Elena help her up and out of the bathroom, and they walked to one of the beds together, gingerly sitting down and holding onto each other.

"So what happens now?" Ben asked, the question that they all wanted answered.

Anna picked up Elena's cell phone. "Now we open the tomb," she said, dialing.

* * *

Damon felt a little thrill as his shovel struck something hard. He abandoned the shovel and brushed away the remaining dirt, revealing his father's casket. He took a deep breath, inhaling the dark mist of the cemetery. He hopped up and yanked off the lid of the casket, tossing it aside as if it weighed no more than a book. He sneered down into the grave, looking at the rotten corpse of his father, now just a mass of bones and whatever possessions he was buried with. Damon reached inside, taking a sick pleasure in desecrating his father's grave. His hand found his prize as he pulled out Emily's grimoire. He stood, flipping through it when he heard a light shuffle of feet behind him. He whipped around to see Stefan standing there, arms folded.

"Damon," he said simply.

"Stefan - what the hell are you doing here?" Damon said, his eyes narrowing.

"I came to help you. I have a proposition for you."

Damon ignored his words. "Why aren't you with Elena?"

"She's at home. This was more important. I'll go back when we're through here," Stefan said.

Damon pressed his lips together, shaking his head, trying to keep in the rage he felt. The air shimmered with power as his emotions got the better of him. "I told you to stay with her," he barked.

"I know, but Damon, listen -"

"No!" Damon roared. "Motherfucker, what is _wrong _with you? I ask you to do one thing, one thing! And now… God help you if…" Damon didn't finish his thought. He took off without a word.

"Damon!" Stefan called after him. He was then hit with the realization that Damon knew something he didn't - that perhaps Elena was already in danger. He took off after him.

* * *

Damon tore through her house, checking her bedroom and everywhere else, taking care to utilize his customary stealth so as not to disturb Jeremy or Jenna, both already asleep. Stefan arrived not long after, meeting him in her bedroom.

"She's not here," Stefan said, panic evident in his voice.

"No shit," Damon snapped. He felt his phone ringing in his pocket and checked the number. "Elena? Where are you?" he answered.

"Well hello, Damon," Anna said from the other end, calmly pacing the hotel room. "How are you this fine evening?"

"Annabelle. Should have guessed. Still grasping at straws?" Damon said, sounding dangerously casual. Stefan watched him, his hands balling into fists. If anything happened to Elena, it would be his fault. He couldn't bear the thought.

"Well it seems like I've got the right one. So tell me, do you feel more inclined to work with me now?"

"Not in the slightest," he replied.

"Well that's a shame. My friend here is _really_ thirsty. I suppose she can be his midnight snack."

"You wouldn't dare," Damon hissed.

"Oh wouldn't I?" she said calmly.

"No. Because then you wouldn't have any leverage. See, your problem is that you forget - we think alike," Damon said.

"And your problem is that you underestimate me. I don't give a rat's ass if she dies. Because I also have Bonnie here. And I'm assuming you have the grimoire now. So, without Bonnie, that will make it a little hard to get in the tomb now, won't it?"

Damon grit his teeth. "What do you propose?"

"We're staying at a little motel on the edge of town. Room 215. I'm sure you can find us. Let's discuss this like adults, hm?" Anna said, giddy that she was getting her way.

"Don't touch her," Damon warned before hanging up. He turned to Stefan. "Let's go."

* * *

"Looks like you're in luck, sweetie," Anna said to Elena. "Damon must be over the moon for you. Did you hear the panic in his voice?" she laughed to Ben.

Elena shook her head. "He just wants Katherine back," she said, more to herself than to anyone else. Bonnie rubbed her back sympathetically.

Anna nodded. "Oh, I'm sure that's true, but I have _never_ known Damon to give a shit about anyone else. The Damon I know wouldn't hesitate to let me kill you so long as it didn't distract from his goal. This just might make the first time that someone actually returned his affections."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked. Was she that transparent?

Anna smirked. "Look, we all knew what Katherine was like. When I lived in Mystic Falls, the town council had figured us out, and it was time to move on. But Katherine wasn't done with her little ménage-à-trois. She was toying with them, like new pets. It was due to her own stupidity that they all got caught and thrown in that wretched tomb." She stopped her story as her ears pricked. "Here comes your dark knight now."

Damon burst through the door, breaking the locks in the process. His eyes alit on Elena and he strode straight to her.

"Damon!" she cried, jumping up and throwing her arms around him. She inhaled his scent as his arms held her close, squeezing her eyes shut tight.

Damon looked at Bonnie over Elena's shoulder. She still had a look of distrust, but there was also a grudging respect lurking somewhere in there. He released Elena, turning to face Anna and Ben, shielding her body with his. "So. How do you want to do this?"

"Excellent," drawled Anna. "However, you seem to be missing a very important prop here," she said, noting that the grimoire was not in his hands.

"It's with Sheila," Stefan said, appearing in the doorway.

"What?" Anna snapped.

"She's meeting us at the tomb in one hour. She needs to collect some things first," Stefan said calmly, stepping into the room. He took in the scene; Anna, completely focused and in control, Ben moping about like the dumb lug he was, Bonnie barely keeping it together, and Damon and Elena… Elena stood behind him, holding on to his jacket while Damon looked daggers at Anna. Stefan felt uneasy. Not at his plan; he had told Sheila the same thing he told Bonnie, and she was all for keeping any and all vampires locked away so they couldn't hurt anyone. According to Sheila, once the tomb was opened, they would switch to a different spell that would only allow humans to exit the tomb. All vampires would still be trapped. He was relatively sure that his plan would work. He was just beginning to doubt what Elena would think of it. Before, she was completely on his side. She too believed that Damon was evil. But now… he realized he had no idea what Elena thought of Damon. He knew they slept together in Georgia and had sort of bonded ever since, but he had always viewed it as more of a passing camaraderie. Now he was beginning to think there was something more. He didn't exactly have hard evidence, but there was something in Damon's protective stance and the way that Elena looked at him. Or perhaps it was just his imagination.

"Fine," Anna said, breathing again.

* * *

An hour later, they were all gathered at the tomb. Anna still had a grasp on Elena, refusing to let her go until her mission was complete. She was the oldest of the vampires, and none had the strength to counter hers. Her eyes carefully watched each person gathered for the occasion. There was Damon: all but twitching with impatience, though she wasn't sure if it was impatience to open the tomb or to get Elena away from her. Stefan: exhibiting a calm and serene outward appearance, but afraid for Elena's life on the inside. Elena: keeping a brave face despite being surrounded by the supernatural and about to walk into a tomb filled with monsters. Bonnie and Grams, determined to get the job done now that they were dragged into this.

They all went on alert as something intangible yet unmistakable changed in the air. There was a gust of wind, and Bonnie and Grams took each other's hands and began to chant. The rest of them stared at the door to the tomb expectantly. Ever so slowly, it creaked open, until finally it was open enough to allow people to walk through.

"Come on, Gilbert," Anna said, shining her flashlight inside and pulling Elena by the elbow. Damon started in after her and stopped, turning halfway.

"Stefan - stay with Bonnie and Grams. Make sure they keep the door open," he said.

Stefan nodded. As far as Damon was concerned, he was simply following orders. But he couldn't have worked it better himself. Now Elena would be able to leave the tomb and they could leave all this drama behind them, going back to a relatively normal life. He watched as Damon disappeared inside the tomb after them.

Elena shivered as she took in her surroundings. This was beyond scary. She swallowed back the impulse to throw up when she saw the emaciated bodies of the vampires. She almost didn't notice when Anna cut her. She couldn't help but struggle a little as Anna held out her arm to the withered, dry lips of one of the bodies. She bit back a scream and focused on breathing, looking away and focusing on an individual stone in the wall.

"That's enough," Damon said, noting that the body was beginning to move on its own.

"Fine, take her, we'll feed properly when we get out," Anna said, thrusting Elena toward Damon. Elena stumbled and Damon caught her. She slid her arms inside his jacket to wrap around his back, holding tight and trying to keep the otherworldly chill away. She was shaking and more than anything, wanted to get out of that tomb. She wanted to get as far away from it as possible. Damon briefly wrapped one arm around her, but the other was still shining the flashlight around, his face pulling deeper and deeper into a frown. She pulled away and looked at his face, trembling for a different reason now. She watched as he stormed around the tomb, looking at each vampire's face carefully before turning his flashlight on a retreating Anna and Pearl.

"Where is she," he said in a deadly low voice.

Anna kept helping her mother limp to the entrance of the tomb.

"Where is she," he said, walking up to them and jerking Anna's shoulder to face him.

"I'm sorry, Damon. It was the only way I knew you'd help us. Katherine's not in here."

"What?!" he said, a mixture of disbelief and rage emanating from his being.

Anna shook her head in disgust. "She sweet-talked one of the guards into letting her out before they sealed the tomb. She was never in here."

"You're lying," Damon seethed.

"Check again if you don't believe me. She was just going to leave them here to die. She _did_ leave them here to die and went on about her life, not caring about any of us. You might -or might not - be happy to know that she's alive and well. I saw her back in '83 - that's 1983 I mean - in Chicago."

Damon looked stunned at this new information. He couldn't accept it.

Anna watched his face go through several different emotions. Anger, disgust, shock… and suddenly a profound hurt. He looked… vulnerable.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I know how you felt about her… but she is who she is. I'm sorry," Anna said, helping her mother out of the tomb.

Stefan looked up, noting that Anna and Pearl made it safely out of the tomb. "Now, Sheila! You have to try harder."

"I can't," Bonnie cried, nearly falling down and giving up.

"Come on, child, you know what the consequences are if we don't reseal this tomb. Keep going," Sheila said, a great strain in her voice.

"Grams…"

"Keep going!"

Bonnie squeezed her eyes shut and somehow found the strength to continue chanting.

Inside, Elena watched Damon. Her heart ached for him; on the one hand, it hurt seeing him wanting someone else so badly, but on the other hand, she longed to do anything to take that hurt away from him. She had never, not even in their most intimate moments, seen him look so much like a little lost boy. She heard shouting but it seemed further away than it really was. She looked away from Damon and realized it was Stefan shouting.

"Elena, you have to get out of there, now! They can't hold it much longer!"

"Damon, we've got to go," Elena said. He just stood there, dumbfounded, staring into space. "Damon," she said, tugging on his arm, "come on! We've got to go!"

"What's the point? Just leave me here," he said.

"No!" Elena said vehemently. "Damon, look at me," she said. When he didn't, she got in his face so he didn't have a choice. "Look at me," she commanded. "I know this is awful, and we've got to deal with it, but if we don't get out of this tomb right now we will be stuck here for all eternity. Do you want to be stuck here forever?"

He just looked at her.

She huffed, running her fingers through her hair in distress. "Ok, look, if you don't care about yourself, what about me, hm? Do you want me to die down here? Because I'm not leaving without you."

He looked at her, almost in wonder, and then sighed in resignation. Wordlessly, he let her lead him out of the tomb. He took one last longing glance before stepping out into the moonlight.

"Elena!" Stefan cried, rushing over to her and gathering her in his arms. He was too overcome with relief at her being ok that he didn't even care that Damon made it out too. Elena held on to Stefan, so glad to be out of the tomb and into the arms of someone who loved her unconditionally. She made the mistake of glancing at Damon over Stefan's shoulder. He was still staring off into nothingness, stupefied by what just transpired. She immediately felt guilty. Why should she be so happy to be safe with Stefan when the one person Damon loved most in the world had abandoned him so willingly?

Bonnie and Grams suddenly let go of each other, both almost collapsing as the power they summoned flickered and died out, the tomb slamming shut. Elena tearfully looked up into Stefan's eyes. "She wasn't in there."

"What?" Stefan said, concerned.

"Katherine. She… she was never in there. She's been free this whole time." They both turned to look at Damon, a perfectly desolate expression on his face. Elena looked up at Stefan and squeezed his hands before walking over to Damon.

Stefan watched her. Though he had every reason to be jealous right now, he understood that Damon just lost more than he ever had. Katherine's love was real to Damon, though Stefan recognized it as an illusion. Still, he understood the pain that Damon was going through, and regardless of their past, he knew Elena had a kind heart and felt nothing but compassion for Damon in this moment. He busied himself with helping Bonnie and Grams clean up. He knew that Elena might very well be the only person who could comfort his brother right now.

Elena didn't know what to say. What do you say to someone who just lost the love of their life? Especially when you have undefined feelings for that person? She said the only two words that came to mind. "I'm sorry." She reached up and pulled him into a hug. He stood still as a statue for the longest time, but she wouldn't let go, not until she felt him accept what she was offering. After what seemed like forever, his arms slowly raised and enveloped her. She hugged him tight until she felt his grip solidify. He buried his face in her hair. He was stoic; she didn't feel a single tear drop, and she didn't really expect to. She didn't really expect him to hug her back, but he did. When he lifted his head, she understood that he was ok. She stepped away, not sure what was going to happen next. She turned to check on Bonnie and Grams, and when she turned around, he was gone.

* * *

_**Author's note: Heavy stuff! So here's the real question: what's going on in Damon's mind? What do his actions say about how he feels about Katherine and Elena? Will he stick around Mystic Falls now that his original plan is through? Will you stick around to read the next part of my story? :) You know what to click next...**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**_

_**Author's note: Sorry this took so long, folks. Real life intervenes and leaves little time for obsessive writing about our favorite show! However, I hope this chapter... satisfies. ;)**_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

_Dear Diary,_

_I'm sorry I've neglected you for so long. There's been so much going on that I wouldn't know where to start. But I do know that I can only turn to you. Bonnie's out of town - her grandmother died. It's so sad, really. I can't say I knew her grandmother that well, but my heart hurts for Bonnie. I know what it's like to lose someone you love. But now, diary, you are the only place I can work out my feelings. Bonnie was the only person who knew all - well, most - of my secrets, and without her I have no one else to talk to about what's going on. Stefan's fine; a little too fine, if you ask me. He's been acting like he wants to ask me something for the longest time, but he's never mentioned what's on his mind and I'm sure not going to probe. I wonder if he knows about Damon… Poor Damon. I know it sounds ridiculous to feel sorry for a vampire, even more ridiculous to feel sorry for a vampire who has killed without a second thought. But he lost someone he loves too. I haven't seen him since we opened the tomb. Whenever I'm brave enough to ask, casually as possible, Stefan just says he's fine and moves on to the next topic. But I'm not sure I believe him. I think I might go check on Damon, maybe skip one of my afternoon classes. Of course, it can't be a class I share with Stefan. Or with Caroline. Or with Matt. Any one of them would instantly know something's up and I don't want anyone asking questions. In fact, I-_

"Elena?"

She jumped at the knock on her bedroom door, slamming her diary shut and shoving it into its usual hiding place. "Come in, Jer."

Jeremy cracked the door open. "Are you ready for school?"

"Yeah," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears and grabbing her backpack. "Let's go."

* * *

Damon felt pretty damn sorry for himself. Katherine clearly didn't give a shit about him, and Elena was back fawning all over his do-gooder brother. It was sickening. He confessed that he didn't know what to do with his days now. Before, the plan was easy. Find his way back into the tomb, release Katherine, she would be grateful that her lover had come to her rescue, and they would ride off into the sunset. Meanwhile he busied himself with Elena until his plan came to fruition. She proved to be quite the compelling distraction, one that almost made him forget why he came back to Mystic Falls. He took a moment to consider Elena. She was hard to figure out. On the one hand, she responded to his every touch, his every look as if there was nowhere else she'd rather be than naked and writhing in his arms. On the other hand, she was all righteous and loyal to his pathetic little brother, playing the role of the doting girlfriend for all the world to see. Who knew what was really going on inside her mind. He did have to admit that she still managed to intrigue him, quite a feat given his short attention span when it came to women. After living as long as he did, he didn't have the patience to sit through any whiny little dramas that women often concocted. He poured his first drink of the day and decided that he was done investing any significant time or energy into any woman. He would simply stick to brainless sorority girls from now on.

"Good morning, Damon," Stefan said, jogging down the stairs.

"Stefan," Damon toasted in his direction.

Stefan learned about a week into Damon's alcoholic haze that it was best not to push him. Still, he couldn't help himself. "I'm going to school now - what are you going to do today?"

"Same thing I do every day, Pinky. Try to take over the world," he quipped. Stefan didn't look amused. "Oh, lighten up, little brother. I still have _several_ bottles of scotch to get through before I have to venture outside this godforsaken house. I won't be bothering any of your precious townies today."

"Ok… well… as you were," Stefan said wryly.

Damon didn't verbalize a reply. He merely raised his glass to Stefan and wandered out of the room. Stefan shook his head. How long was he going to keep this up? And even more worrisome, what was he going to do once he got out of this funk? At least before, he had some idea of Damon's plan and how to stop him. Now he didn't know what to expect next…

* * *

Elena rehearsed different opening lines. She didn't know what was waiting for her on the other side of the door. She nervously looked around, irrationally afraid that one of her teachers or friends would catch her ditching. But no one was there. She took a deep breath and tucked her hair behind her ears before ringing the doorbell. She tried not to let the surprise show on her face when Damon answered it - looking like hell.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure?" Damon slurred.

"I - I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You know, after… everything."

Damon didn't answer her. He turned and walked into the living room. Elena furrowed her brow but followed his silent invite. She shut the door behind herself and dropped all her stuff on the couch. "So… how are you?"

"Peachy keen," Damon said sarcastically.

Elena sized him up. His hair was a mess and he was barefoot, clad only in a pair of pajama pants. Apparently that's all he could be bothered to wear. "Not to be rude, but you look awful."

"Yeah, well, I feel awful, so that sounds about right."

"I'm sorry," she said. She stuffed her hands in her pockets. What was she thinking, coming over here? She never considered what to talk about after basic inquiries as to his health. This was all kinds of awkward. She was worried she was reminding him of Katherine simply by being there, but she couldn't think of a polite way to excuse herself. They stood there in silence, Damon calmly sipping from his glass every so often and staring out the window, Elena across the room trying not to fidget. She was about to bolt when he finally spoke.

"You know," Damon said, taking a long sip, "things don't always turn out like you want them to. For example," he said, stumbling a bit as he wandered the room, "I thought that Katherine was waiting for me in the tomb. What a sucker I am, huh? Thinking it was our fault she was locked in there in the first place… only to find out that the little _bitch_ has been free this whole time." He checked the bottle, finding it empty and tossing it aside. "And then there's you," he said, pointing his glass in Elena's direction.

"Me? What about me?"

"You're just like all the other girls. Slumming it with the sexy vamp then going back to the boring boyfriend. It would be funny if it weren't so cliché."

Elena flinched. "I don't know what other girls you're referring to, but I'm not like them. I care, Damon."

He scoffed. "Sure you do, sweetheart. You keep telling yourself that. You forget that I'm older and wiser and you're just sixteen going on seventeen. Well - more like going on thirty. Never have I met a girl so eager to live a boring life."

Elena tried not to show her anger. "You know what? If picking on me makes you feel better, then go ahead. I can take it because I know the truth."

"Oh I'm not picking on you, Elena. Merely stating the facts. What's _your_ truth?"

She thought carefully before speaking. "You're hurt. Katherine hurt you deeply so you want to lash out at her or anyone who happens to be nearby. You just lucked out because I look exactly like her. So go ahead. Tell your replacement Katherine exactly how you feel."

"Dammit, Elena!" Damon said, throwing his glass aside, not caring that it shattered in the process. "You're not a replacement for her! When are you going to get that through your thick fucking skull?"

She shrunk back. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have provoked you. That wasn't fair. I'm really sorry."

Damon shook his head, running one hand through his hair. "I'm not going to…" he sighed, sinking into the couch. "Don't worry about it." He looked slightly chagrined at his outburst, closing his eyes and rubbing them.

Elena tentatively sat down next to him, examining his face. "I - I don't know much about these things, but you look terribly pale. When was the last time…" she swallowed, "that you fed?"

Damon opened one eye and turned to her. "It's been awhile. A little too long, in fact."

Elena bit her lip and looked down into her lap. "Um, this might sound weird, but… if it would make you feel better… did you want to… um…" she turned red at her bold suggestion, noting that he slightly perked up with interest.

"Did I want to what, Elena?"

She couldn't say it out loud, instead peeling off her turtleneck and smoothing down her cami underneath. She pulled her hair to one side to reveal her neck to him. She watched as his eyes instinctively dilated.

"Are you sure?" he said, suddenly very hungry.

She nodded.

"Why?" he asked.

She blushed. "Because I don't know what else to do and it seemed like a good idea at the time. If it's not, I can just-"

"No," he interrupted her. "That's… an intriguing offer. If you're sure…"

"I'm sure," she said, more confident this time.

He nodded and surprised her by grabbing her and swinging a leg over his lap so she was straddling him on the couch. He moved so fast, she didn't know how she lost her shoes in the process, but there they were, three feet away on the floor. She braced herself by holding on to the back of the couch, suddenly painfully aware that a thin layer of cloth separated her torso from his bare chest. She saw a hint of a smirk appear on his face, and she was too relieved at a glimpse of the old Damon returning that she wasn't even irritated by it. Who cared if he could sense her arousal; at least maybe he was returning to normal again. She held her breath as he took his time gathering her hair and draping it over one shoulder, running a finger down her neck. She shivered and knew that her nipples were standing at attention and due to her thin camisole with a pitiful excuse for a built-in bra, he could probably feel it. She stopped thinking at all as his arms moved to her back, pulling her closer to press against him in the most intimate of places. It barely registered that he slid her cami strap off one shoulder as his lips met her neck. Her hands involuntarily slid down from the back of the couch to grip his shoulders, her face dropping into his hair and neck. She gasped at the pinprick of his teeth and sank into a delirious haze of pleasure as he began to feed. She had almost forgotten what it felt like. She slid her hands down his chest, running over his pecs before sliding back up to tangle in his hair. She felt a growl rumble through him as she dipped her head into the hollow of his neck, inadvertently pressing her lips to it, breathing heavily. Her hands moved to grip his shoulderblades, nails digging into his skin. She began to feel a bit lightheaded and her grip loosened. Damon noticed and retracted his teeth, licking her neck clean. Elena moaned as he licked her neck, a completely different pleasurable sensation. He pulled back and took in the sight of her. Her eyes were closed, hair tossed to one side, cheeks flushed and mouth slightly open from moaning. He wasted no time in anything as exhaustive as thinking. He grabbed her head and pulled her into a searing kiss. Elena sank into his kiss, still riding the high from offering up her blood. She met his lips hungrily, noting with interest that traces of her blood were still on his lips, though they soon disappeared into a taste that was all Damon. She also acted on instinct when he stood up, automatically wrapping her legs around his waist in order to keep from breaking the kiss as he propelled them to his bedroom.

She felt her back hit something soft and realized that it was Damon's bed. She was still gasping for breath when she realized he had deftly removed her clothes and rid himself of the lazy pajama pants. Reality hit her and she started to panic. What was she doing? How did she let herself get to this place? How could she do this to - ohhhhhhh. All thoughts stopped when Damon spread her legs and entered her within seconds. She cried out in pleasure, not alarm, and felt slightly guilty that she didn't lift one finger to stop him. Quite the opposite. She found her hips moving of their own will to meet his thrusts, her arms wrapping around his back, holding him close. Damon hissed as she clenched her inner walls around him during each thrust, making her passage tighter. He attacked her lips and she immediately opened her mouth to him, her tongue yearning to taste him once more. She moaned into his mouth as he slid one hand between them to trace tiny circles on her clit. Maybe it was because it had been a while, or maybe it was because having your blood sucked did strange things to your libido, but she came immediately. Never had it taken so little to push her over the edge. And it was clear that Damon was nowhere near finished with her yet. He continued to pound into her as she shook from her orgasm, finally removing his hand and pulling completely out of her, flipping her onto her stomach and pulling her hips up until she was on all fours. He eased back inside her and began thrusting once more, hitting a new angle and making her cry out with each movement of his hips. She couldn't see the feral smile of satisfaction on his face as she cried out his name. She gripped the headboard and emitted completely new noises as he drove into her, hitting that magic spot each time. His hands moved to fondle her breasts, pinching and massaging her nipples. One hand slid to one of her shoulders, making his thrusts more forceful.

Elena's world was a haze of colors and sensations. There was no denying her insane pull toward Damon. She wished that she could blame it on compulsion, but she knew it was 100% real. It was like her body knew his and was welcoming it home. He fit so perfectly in all the right places and knew exactly how to drive her crazy. She marveled at the fact that when they were in bed - or, wherever they were when sexual impulses took over - all his snarkiness disappeared. The sarcastic façade faded and they were just Damon and Elena. And some seriously pornographic sex. She gasped as he drove deep into her and blessed whoever made this huge four-poster bed so sturdy. She whined when he pulled out of her, only to be relieved when he slid underneath her, slamming her down onto his cock. He wanted to _see_ her when she came. Elena shook her head with a wry smile but quickly lost it as her body moved on its own without any conscious brainpower telling her to move up and down. She held onto his shoulders as she rode him hard, experimentally rotating her hips. Damon rewarded her with a groan as his lips went to her breast, swirling his tongue around her nipple. Elena whimpered, softly crying out his name as he continued to awake new sensations within her. She hissed when he marked her breast with a little love bite, surprised that the move turned her on. Pain was never her thing before, but maybe it was a vampire thing. The act of biting had become an aphrodisiac. She noted that Damon's hands were now on her hips, guiding her movement faster. He must be near the edge. She opened her eyes to find him staring intently at her. The intensity of his gaze and the friction their bodies created sent her into another orgasm. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her down hard, allowing himself to come with her. Elena didn't break eye contact, breathing heavily as she felt him fill her with his cum, the sweat beginning to cool between them as they stilled their movements. As Damon allowed his hands to fall down her back, he tugged a bit, pulling her closer. Elena placed her hands on his cheeks, brushing away his damp hair and pressing a kiss to his lips, a kiss that was simultaneously filled with passion and ease, as if they had all the time in the world. Damon tangled a hand in her hair, the other running up and down her back, eliciting a shiver from Elena as she shifted closer to his chest. He lifted her and rolled them over so he was halfway lying on top of her, able to be in control of the kiss.

She smiled into the kiss, liking this side of Damon, the one he refused to acknowledge existed. The side that allowed him to care about her satisfaction during sex instead of making it all about the taking for him. The side that wanted to hold her after, regardless of whether or not he would ever admit such a thing. And the side that could kiss her like this… yet still he denied having feelings for her. Either he was playing a very good game, or he must have feelings for her, deep down. She sighed. Either way, it didn't do her any good to keep slipping back into this pattern. If he didn't care about her like that, then she was only hurting herself. If he did, then he wasn't man enough to declare his feelings and at least attempt to take her for his own. Reluctantly, she broke the kiss.

"That was… intense," Elena said, smiling up at Damon, "but I have to get back to class. I was only supposed to be gone for one period and now I've missed half of my next class."

"Whatever," Damon said, the wall immediately going up. He knew what she really meant. _Stefan_ would be missing her, and we can't have him asking questions, now, can we?

Elena's eyes clouded over with confusion. How could that have possibly pissed him off? He should be grateful that she risked coming over here in the first place. He rolled over, allowing her to get up. She wouldn't look at him as she got dressed. She made a resolution right then and there. This was the absolute last time she let herself get seduced by Damon. She had enough secrets in her life already; she refused to create a new one. And she had no reason to do this to Stefan. This time, it really was actually cheating. And she couldn't believe she let herself do that.

"I'll see you around," she said bitterly. "I hope you feel better." She fled the room before he could respond.

Damon ran his hands over his face and made an indeterminate noise of frustration. And that was exactly why he was done with Elena Gilbert.

* * *

Stefan got home from school and noticed that all the bottles from the living room had been emptied. Curious, he looked around for Damon who was poking through the refrigerator. At least he was dressed, looking halfway presentable. Stefan wasn't sure if he wanted to ask the question that was burning in his mind. Caroline had asked him if Elena was alright since she missed a class today. Elena showed up at her next class with Stefan looking just fine, so he decided not to mention anything. But he had a pretty good idea of where she went. She might have thought she was being casual, but he knew exactly how many times she had inquired after Damon this week alone. He decided to take the plunge. He had been holding back from expressing his irritation long enough.

"Was Elena here today?" he asked. Damon pretended like he didn't hear him, selecting something and closing the refrigerator door. Stefan pursued the topic further. "Listen, I don't mind you holing up in here in whatever downward spiral of depression you're working through, but don't drag Elena into your mess."

That got his attention. "My mess?" Damon said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, your mess. See, something I'm sure you know about Elena is that she has a big heart, and you shouldn't take advantage of that."

Damon laughed darkly. "St. Stefan protecting the virtue of his beloved. No, really, it's sweet."

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "I'm not talking about her virtue."

"Well you probably should be."

"Her virtue is not the point here. I trust Elena implicitly. You, however -"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I'm the big bad wolf and you don't want me to eat Little Red Riding Hood."

"Something like that. It's just that Elena is a caring, nurturing person, and I don't want you twisting it into something wrong."

"Right… well, relax little brother, I have no intention of getting romantically involved with anyone in the foreseeable future. They just screw you over in the end. Not that I would mind getting screwed… over… by Elena," he said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Kidding. Look, if there's one thing I've learned from this whole debacle it's that it's better not to care. You don't care, you don't get your heart broken. So rest easy, kid. The princess is safe from the dragon."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Any more clichés you want to whip up before I go?"

"Nah, I'm good, they'd just be wasted on you anyway. In fact, I think I'm going to go find a more like-minded crowd."

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked suspiciously.

"I think it's time to bond with my fellow daytime drinkers. You know, make friends with the town drunk. Later."

"Damon," Stefan called out in a warning tone. Damon ignored him and left. Stefan ran a hand through his hair. He didn't like not knowing what Damon was going to do next. At least he could rest easy about Elena. It seemed she only felt pity for Damon.

* * *

Damon sat at the bar and nursed his - what was it again? Bourbon? Gin? Scotch? Well, whatever it was, it was smooth and amber and hit the spot. A few more of these and he would be able to relax.

"Daytime drinking - never a good sign," he heard. Damon turned around, ready to snap at whoever seemed to be judging him. He held back and slipped into the role of friend to all town council members.

"Sheriff Forbes, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" he said charmingly. She smirked and sat down beside him.

"So, listen, I'm sorry to jump straight into this, but I have to get back to the station. I just have a really huge favor to ask of you."

"Oh, anything I can do to help," he said with a wave of his glass.

"Right. Well, it's like this. Every year we have this completely pretentious Bachelor Auction run by the town council as a fundraiser and we're one bachelor short. I've got to find an eligible bachelor for our panel or else I have a year's worth of pitying looks and snide comments to look forward to. Please don't make me endure that."

"You want me to be in your bachelor auction?" Damon asked, slightly surprised.

"You'd be a lifesaver," she pleaded.

Damon smirked. How wrong she was. "Sure. Why not. Can't let down the prettiest sheriff in town," he flirted.

"Thanks! Oh man, will I be glad to wipe that simpering look off - a-hem, anyway, thank you for your participation." She pulled out a pen and pad of paper. "Here's the time and place you need to show up to prior to the event. The attire is semi-formal so please don't feel you have to show up in a tuxedo," she said, ripping off a piece of paper. "I've got to run - thanks a million! I owe you one!"

Damon stared at the bit of paper, a slow smile forming on his face. Not only was he securing his spot in the circle of trust, but he's getting a date out of it. Things were looking up…

* * *

_**Author's note: So Elena and Damon each think they're done with each other. Riiiight. Anyway, let me know what you think so far. (Side note: Rest easy, Matt's mom will not be making an appearance in Damon's mouth. I'd just as soon block out that particular cougar moment.) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Some of you knew exactly where I was going with this.. so major kudos! Either you're genius or I'm predictable... I think I like you being genius better. :) Also, I'm giving Caroline more of bitch factor here, kind of like in the books. She's a little beige on the show. Enjoy!**_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Damon straightened the shirt cuffs underneath his jacket, flashing a winning smile to all the potential dates in the audience. He was fairly certain that 95% of the women here had the hots for him. The other 5% hadn't seen him yet.

The emcee continued her overly-rehearsed speech. "Our next bachelor is Alaric Saltzman…"

In the crowd, Elena folded her arms, bored. She knew Jenna was dying for a date with Alaric, and also realized that part of their responsibility as a founding family was that they had to show up at these stupid events. She used to enjoy them; she and Caroline and Bonnie would make up stories about what they would do if they ever got to go on a date with one of the men being auctioned off. It was tradition. Now they were all grown up and participating, but she didn't get the same thrill out of it as she did as a pre-teen. She looked up at Caroline, her teeth gleaming white as she played the role of beautiful assistant. She got to say the names of the winners, and she drew out the tension for as long as possible. Elena had to admit that Caroline's flair for the dramatic definitely worked in her favor sometimes. She sighed. Where was Stefan with her club soda?

"Here," a voice said from behind. Elena turned and accepted a soda from Matt, smiling in surprise.

"Hey you," she said warmly. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"Yeah, well, now that Mom's back, there was no dragging her away from this night. Booze, bachelors, and bossa nova… her three favorite things," he said wryly.

"Aw, Matty," Elena said, laughing. They both knew he was completely right. "I'm sure you're glad she's back."

"Yeah. And you know what? I think this time… this time might actually be different," he said, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

"Really?" Elena asked, setting her now-empty soda on a passing tray.

"Yeah. She said she's going to stay. She said she's going to _try_."

"Oh, Matt!" Elena said, her voice full of emotion. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. She knew how badly he secretly wanted his mother to be just like everyone else's. It was hard on him being the adult in the house. He hugged her back, not able to resist taking the opportunity to close his eyes and inhale the familiar scent of her shampoo. He missed that.

Onstage, the hug did not go unnoticed. Caroline's ears reddened. Did Elena seriously think she could keep all these guys just hanging around, waiting for her to dangle a carrot of attention only to snatch it away? How would she like it if her perfect little relationship was constantly interrupted by an unwelcome third party?

"And that, ladies and gentleman, is everything you need to know about Damon Salvatore," said the announcer. Caroline smirked. This would be way too easy.

Stefan walked up to Elena and Matt as they were chatting. The moment was broken, and Matt reluctantly let go of his fantasy of having Elena back. He made his excuses and left to talk to Tyler.

Elena turned and took Stefan's hand. "Hey."

"Hey," he said, sliding an arm around her and pressing a kiss to her temple. "How are things going? How much longer do you have to stay?"

"It's almost over," she said. "I think Damon's the last one. And thank goodness for that - my feet are killing me. This is the last time I let Jenna talk me into stilettos."

Stefan looked at her appreciatively. "I hope not the _last_ time."

Elena's cheeks warmed. "Well… I suppose I can save them for special occasions," she said with a laugh. She looked up at the stage to see Caroline giving her an odd look. She squinted at her and gave a slight shake of the head, trying to ask Caroline what was wrong using nonverbal cues. Caroline tossed her hair and ignored her.

"So Caroline, if you please, the name of Damon's lucky, lucky date…" the emcee drew a name from the hat - a scrap of paper that was carefully dog-eared. Caroline took the piece of paper and did not stretch out her usual dramatic pause. "Elena Gilbert!" she trilled. The emcee looked at her, momentarily thrown off, and then composed herself before pasting a fake smile on her face.

Elena's eyes widened. Damon's head snapped to look at the announcer, then Caroline, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. Caroline looked very pleased with herself as she led the room in golf claps.

"And that's the end of this portion of our evening! Come on, everyone, dance! We have another round of hors d'oeuvres coming…" the emcee said, stepping down from the podium.

Meanwhile, Elena was freaking out. "I don't understand. I didn't even enter!"

"Yeah, well, I have a pretty good idea of how your name got in there," Stefan said, glaring at Damon.

"No, he looked just as pissed as me. I'm sure he didn't do it, I just don't know how…" she trailed off, a lightbulb going off in her head. "Of course," she said, shaking her head.

"What?" Stefan asked.

"Caroline," she said bitterly. "And now I have to… oh, God. I have to go. I mean, we're one of the founding families. It's tradition. They'll know if I don't go. I have to go!" Elena said, her voice rising with hysteria with each sentence.

"Shh, I know, it's fine, it will be fine," Stefan said, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "It's only one night."

"I know that," she said. "I just wish…"

"I know," Stefan said.

Elena looked over at Matt as he chatted with Tyler. An idea came to mind. Alright, Caroline: two can play at that game. "Maybe I can just… I'll be right back," she said.

She approached them. "I'm sorry Tyler, would you excuse us for a moment? I need to steal Matt away." Tyler shrugged and walked away. Matt turned to her, an expectant look on his face. "So you heard, right?"

"Yeah, pretty hard to miss it as it was an announcement… and kind of the main event," Matt said with a gentle smile.

"Right… so here's what I'm thinking. And you can totally say no if you want. But it would mean a great deal to me; you have no idea how awkward and awful…"

"Elena, just spit it out," Matt said with a laugh.

"Ok. Well, I have to go on this date with Damon; there's no getting around it. But there's nothing in the rules that says it can't be a double date," she said significantly.

"Oh…" Matt said, understanding dawning.

"I know it's a huge imposition and it would be weird, but I just can't stand the thought of being alone with…" she bit her lip.

Matt's protective side kicked in. "Hey, no problem. That's totally fine. I'm always there for you, you know that."

"Thank you, Matt. I know I don't deserve you," Elena said. She meant it, too.

She watched as Caroline and Damon made their way over. They were exuding vastly different body language. Caroline practically swaggered, swinging her hips in a satisfied walk, a delicious smile fixed on her face. Damon had a bit more of the matador about him, nearly stomping with a look of pained irritation on his face. The irritation, however, faded to amusement as he saw the determined look on Elena's face. This was going to be good. Bitchy queen bee Elena so rarely made an appearance these days.

Caroline slid her arm through Matt's. "Wasn't that wild? I didn't even realize you were _dying_ for a date with Damon."

"Funnily enough, neither did I. but you know me; anything for the town. You know how much it means to me," Elena replied, smiling sweetly. "And Matt and I just had the most wonderful idea. Let's make it a double date!"

Caroline's jaw dropped. She closed her mouth as soon as she realized it, but everyone saw. "That's an… interesting thought, but I don't think it's the best of ideas."

Elena gave Matt a significant look and he chimed in. "Yeah, um, it will be fun."

"And therapeutic," Elena added. "Besides, you don't mind, do you, Caroline? I mean, you are totally over Damon, right?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes as she caught on to Elena's game. "Totally. And you're over Matt, right?" she countered.

"Hey, we're standing right here," Matt protested on behalf of the men.

"Right on, brother," Damon asserted, holding out a fist in anticipation of a fist-bump that was so not happening. He shrugged and dropped his hand.

Elena rolled her eyes. "So it's agreed, then."

"Sure," Matt said.

"I'm sure it will be loads of fun," Caroline said dryly.

"Oh, count me in," Damon said sarcastically. "Not like I have a choice, right?"

"Nope," Elena said cheerfully. "Ok, well, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow night! Come on, Caroline. Let's leave them to it. Surprise us, boys!" Caroline followed Elena back to their families, casting a sullen glance back at their soon-to-be dates.

* * *

Elena had nothing to wear. Well, that wasn't true. She had several potential outfits strewn across her bed, but nothing stood out as appropriate for a quasi-double date. It was almost time to go and she was still standing around in her underwear.

"Elena! Your friend's here!" Jenna called from down the stairs. Elena frowned. She didn't remember Caroline saying she'd pick her up. She shrugged to herself.

"The door's open - send her up!" She put in her other earring and smoothed down her hair, staring at the choices on her bed.

"You know, I'm pretty sure the restaurant we're going to requires shirt and shoes," Damon said, suddenly appearing in the doorway, leaning casually against the beam. Wasn't life funny? Here he had pledged to rid himself of Elena Gilbert forever, yet there she was getting dressed for a date. With him. Granted, it was a pseudo-forced-fixed-double-date, but still. A date.

"Damon!" Elena shrieked, grabbing the nearest shirt and clutching it to her front. It didn't help that he looked amazing. Black dress shirt, black blazer, black belt, black pants, black shoes… he stuck to his usual color of choice.

"Oh, relax," Damon said, rolling his eyes. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."

"Well… that's not the point," Elena said, feeling silly all the same. "I thought you were Caroline."

"No, I have a much better vocabulary. And wardrobe," Damon replied. "Besides, why on earth would you be expecting Caroline? This is a date, remember? The point of a date is the guy picks you up, you go somewhere, then he takes you home. That constitutes a date."

"I know what a date is," Elena huffed. "Can you just - turn around or something?"

Damon smirked. "You realize that you're wearing more now than you were the last time I was in this room, right?"

"And can we drop the references to our sordid past?" she added, refusing to acknowledge the numerous sexual acts that took place on the very bed she was staring at.

"Fine, fine," Damon said, raising his hands in surrender. "So are you getting dressed, or what? We need to leave like five minutes ago."

"Caroline can wait," Elena said grumpily. She tossed the shirt aside. It was pointless to argue with Damon and she _did_ need to get dressed.

Damon sighed and walked over to her bed, rifling through her clothes.

"Hey," she protested weakly.

"This one and… this one. You really should go shopping, there's not a decent label in here," he said, selecting an outfit and tossing the pieces at her.

Elena glared at him and dressed as quickly as possible, surprised that he somehow picked out the perfect outfit in two seconds flat. She looked around for her purse and grabbed it off a chair. "Ok, I'm ready."

"Ah ah ah, not yet," Damon said, ticking a finger at her.

"What?"

"You forgot your most important protective measure," he said, gesturing to her necklace, still on the vanity.

"Oh!" she said, embarrassed. She forgot to put it back on after her shower.

"Allow me," Damon said, taking the necklace.

Elena held up her hair as he stepped behind her, draping the necklace onto her collarbone. Her breath hitched when he clasped it, and she was thoroughly embarrassed. She knew he could sense her heartbeat speed up and could see the slight flush in her cheeks, and - oh God, was he wearing cologne?

"Ready?"

"Yup," she said, swallowing thickly. "Let's go."

* * *

This was weird. Very weird. Elena suddenly felt very nervous about orchestrating this whole thing. Damon was being the perfect gentleman - she kept waiting for the catch. He was opening doors for her, assisting her with her chair at the dinner table… she wasn't used to this formality with him. Dinner conversation was stilted and tension was high. Matt kept dropping his silverware and Caroline couldn't help but look daggers at Damon every so often just for existing. Elena was miserable. The minute they placed their orders, Elena took the napkin out of her lap.

"Um, I need to visit the ladies room," she said, pleading with Caroline with her eyes.

"Me too," Caroline said, looking equally eager to leave the table.

Damon merely nodded and stood, pulling out Elena's chair as she stood. Matt jumped to attention, copying his moves with Caroline.

Elena walked briskly to the bathroom, waiting until they were inside with all the noise of running water and flushing toilets to mask their conversation.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline. This was the worst idea ever," she groaned.

"Oh my God, me too," Caroline said miserably. "It's my fault we're even here in the first place. Elena, I'm sorry, it's just... you and Matt have this history, and every time I see you two together, I just… you know me. Green with envy."

"I know, I'm sorry. But you know I'm with Stefan now. I don't even remotely think of Matt like that anymore. I'll always love him as one of my oldest friends, and yes, my first boyfriend, but that's all."

"I know," Caroline said, only somewhat comforted at the thought. She knew Elena couldn't help it. But her main concern was Matt's feelings, not Elena's. She straightened her shoulders and tossed her hair. "Look, we can be mature about this. We'll just power through dinner, hold up the conversation between the two of us, skip dessert because we're teenage girls so naturally we're on a diet, and head straight to the movies after this. Besides, there's no talking during movies so we'll be fine. And then the night's over. Minimum awkwardness."

Elena smiled. This was what she loved about Caroline. She could be a bitch, but she knew it and was more than willing to admit it. And she always came up with the craziest schemes and somehow willed them into reality.

"Let's do it," Elena said, linking arms with Caroline. They shared a secret smile as they left the bathroom.

* * *

Elena breathed a sigh of relief as they walked the short distance from the restaurant to the movie theater. They somehow survived dinner, Damon looking bored and Matt looking on edge as Elena and Caroline chattered on. She pretended not to notice when Caroline grabbed Matt's hand as they walked, and she also pretended not to notice Matt flinching a bit at first before relaxing.

Damon touched her arm and signaled her to fall back a little bit behind Caroline and Matt. "Are you sure they're actually dating?" he whispered in her ear. "Because he doesn't look like he's that into her."

"He is," she replied, more for Caroline's sake than anyone's. "It's just… complicated."

"Hm. Well all I know is that at your age, any guy who doesn't look like he constantly wants to jump your bones probably isn't into you."

"Well it appears there's no age limit on that," she shot back.

Damon chuckled. "I guess not. But don't think she hasn't noticed those longing looks he's been sending your way when you aren't looking."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said stoically.

"Suuure," he said. "He _so_ wants to be me right now," he said as they arrived at the window. "Watch," he instructed.

Caroline and Matt turned to face them. "So, what movie do you guys want to see?" Caroline asked. Matt visibly stiffened when he saw that Damon's arm was casually draped across Elena's shoulders.

"See what I mean?" Damon smirked.

"Shut up," Elena replied.

"What are you talking about?" Caroline said to Damon, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh, nothing. Hm; what are our options?" he said, refusing to drop his arm. Elena rolled her eyes. He continued. "We've got a chick flick… animated film with dancing animals… action movie with lots of things getting blown up… foreign film… and vampire movie. What _will_ we watch?"

Matt spoke first. "Maybe the vampire movie? Apparently it's supposed to appeal to both women and men."

Caroline shrugged. "That's fine. Elena and I have already seen the chick flick anyway."

"Are you sure? I mean, Damon, is that the one you want to see?" Elena said, worried that somehow Caroline would have flashbacks. Surely it was an irrational theory.

"Well why wouldn't I?" he said sweetly. "If it appeals to both women and men… I'm sure it's the Adam Lambert of movies."

"Ok, vampire movie it is," Elena said, resigned to it. Caroline and Matt turned to buy their tickets.

"She'll be fine," Damon mouthed seriously. Elena nodded, relieved. They stepped up to the window.

"Two tickets, please."

* * *

Elena clenched her teeth. If Damon made one more noise…

He scoffed. "Ok, seriously? They've got it all wrong," he whispered to her.

"Shh! Are you always this bad?" she hissed back.

"What? Look, the filmmaker could have researched his mythology a bit better, that's all I'm saying. This is just ridiculous."

"It's just a movie," she said, irritated.

"And all this stuff about werewolves… that's not how it works," he continued.

"Damon! Shut up! God, what will it take for you to just shut up and watch the movie?"

"That all depends… what are you offering?"

Elena just glared at him.

"Fine, fine," Damon whispered, holding up his hands and folding them in his lap, the picture of a good little boy. He peered around her to find Matt staring a little too hard at the screen, the corner of his mouth twitching. Damon smirked.

"What?" Elena whispered, giving him a look.

He shook his head. "He's just too easy to fuck with, that's all."

"Stop. Don't be mean."

"I'm not being mean! He's not even your boyfriend anymore, yet he's threatened by a guy who definitely isn't your boyfriend."

"Can we just go one day without talking about how you're not my boyfriend?"

"Fine by me."

"Good."

Damon was silent for another five seconds. "Technically, I'm the dirty mistress."

"Oh my God," Elena said, putting her face in her hands.

"What? It's true. Let's call a spade a spade."

"Can we not call anything? Can we just sit here and watch the movie?"

Damon smirked. He loved irritating her. "Sure thing, secret lover."

"Stop."

Damon couldn't wipe the grin off his face. This was almost as fun as when they were actually sleeping together. Almost. In the blink of an eye, his whole position on Elena Gilbert shifted. What fun would it be to simply leave her alone? Sure, she caused him grief. And sure, he found himself thinking of her far more than any of his other passing acquaintances, which sort of worried him. But life was just more interesting with Elena Gilbert in it. Plus, it _really_ pissed off Stefan when he was even remotely near her. And the sex was amazing. So… win/win. And Damon loved a good challenge. Let the games begin.

"Stop it," Elena hissed, staring at the screen.

"Stop what?" Damon answered, innocently.

"Stop touching me," she said, shivering as he lightly ran a finger up and down her arm.

"That's not what you usually say," Damon smirked.

"Well that's what I'm saying right now," Elena said, refusing to look at anything but the movie screen.

Damon dutifully removed his hand, but wasted no time in bringing his lips to her ear. His mouth curved into a smile when he noticed her reaction.

Elena froze. Damn her body. She recognized the signs of attraction in herself as she responded to the feeling of Damon's warm breath on her ear. It immediately conjured up memories of Damon naked, fucking her slowly as he whispered in her ear. But she would be damned if she would ever admit that out loud.

Caroline snuck a glance at Damon and Elena, her grip momentarily tightening on Matt's hand. She couldn't tell what disgusted her more; Damon hitting on his brother's girlfriend, or Elena letting him. What was it about her that made all the guys go crazy?

Damon noticed but ignored Caroline. He focused on Elena. "See, the best part is I know exactly what turns you on, Ms. Gilbert. For example, when I do this," he paused to lightly trace the shell of her ear with his tongue, nipping her earlobe with his teeth, "your heart rate becomes erratic, your cheeks flush, you breathe heavier, and if I'm not mistaken, you're a little bit wet for me."

Elena's eyes widened, somewhere between complete embarrassment and a strong desire to cause Damon physical harm.

"And when I do this," he said, nuzzling her ear and dipping his head to her neck, sucking her pulse point and creating the smallest of hickeys to cover a previous bite mark, "you remember what it's like to give yourself to me and the intense pleasure that comes with it."

Elena bit her lip. She wasn't sure if it was to hold back a moan or to keep from screaming at him. She bolted from her seat. "Sorry, guys, um, I've really got to go to the restroom, I'll - I'll be right back," she said, climbing over Caroline and Matt and tripping over people to get out of the theater as fast as possible.

They both stared at Damon who simply shrugged. "Must have been the chicken."

* * *

Elena released a breath that she didn't even realize she was holding when Damon pulled in to her driveway. She watched as he got out of the car, walking around the hood to her side, opening the door and holding out his hand. She bit her lip as she placed her hand in his, allowing him to help her up and out of the car. He was back to cool and collected Gentleman Damon after his bout of snarkiness at the movie theater. She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised when he didn't let go of her hand, instead holding it all the way to her front door. Something about the simple act of holding hands excited and warmed her at the same time. It made her nervous, mostly because it was… well, it was un-Damon-like.

"So…" she said, glancing at her front door, suddenly filled with monumental teenage awkwardness.

"Well, I had a _really_ great time tonight," Damon said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Me too," Elena replied in kind, sharing a smirk with him.

"It's nice that you weren't too hard on Caroline," he said uncharacteristically.

Elena looked at him in surprise. "Why's that?" she blurted out.

"Because she's just jealous. After all, you have what she wants," he said, stepping closer.

Elena's eyes widened. "And…" she swallowed, "and… what's that?"

Damon simply smiled and leaned in for a kiss. And, God help her, she let him. Elena's eyes fluttered shut as Damon captured her lips with his, bringing his free hand up to cup her cheek. She expected him to deepen the kiss like he usually did, but he kept it brief and chaste and… dare she think it… sweet. He pulled away and she instantly missed the contact. Her eyes slowly opened to look at him; he smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. He took a step back and bowed to press a kiss on her hand before releasing it.

"Goodnight, Elena," he said, backing away and finally turning around to get back in his car. Elena stood there, gaping after him. That was, by far, the strangest interaction they had ever shared. It was textbook end-of-date behavior, no doubt about it. But it was Damon. Which shrouded the whole experience in an air of mystery. She snapped out of it and hurried inside, leaning against the inside of her front door as she closed it. What the _hell _was that?

* * *

_**Author's note: Hmm... looks like things just got a lot more interesting. In order to succeed, Damon's going to have to play this game VERY differently. Thanks for reading and reviewing - you know what to click! ;)**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

**_Author's note: Gosh, chapter 16 already! I didn't realize how long this thing was getting until I re-read it all for continuity's sake the other day. As you probably figured out, I've abandoned my tidy ending idea from long ago to follow the current season. Which, of course, depending on whatever cliffhanger they try to leave us with, I will absolutely end the way I see fit. :) Thank you so much for your quality reviews - seems I've gotten a lot of new readers recently and I always love hearing from all of you! Now enough from me. On to the story..._**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Damon flipped through the journal he was reading, casually sipping his afternoon blood cocktail. Now that he was actively trying to maintain a low profile, he had to cut out the fresh stuff and steal from blood banks. It was like the frozen dinners of the vampire diet; the taste was slightly off, but it got the job done. Besides, it was necessary. He always did his best plotting on a full stomach and there was a lot of plotting to do, what with the town council still sniffing around and his renewed interest in one Elena Gilbert. He wasn't sure what he'd do with her once he had her… beyond the obvious, of course. But he would work that out later. Right now, he just needed to focus on getting her. His ears pricked when he heard not one, but two sets of footsteps approaching the door. He had it open before a hand was raised to knock.

"Damon."

"Pearl… and lovely little Annabelle," he said, eyes narrowed.

Pearl smiled expectantly. Damon reluctantly opened the door wider, letting them in. Anna's eyes flicked to his for a brief moment before returning to her feet. He shut the door behind them, following them to the living room.

"So… how's life on the outside?" he said, referencing their 'jailbreak.'

"I'm acclimating. With Annabelle's help, of course."

"Oh, she sure is helpful, that one. She's learned a few tricks along the years," Damon said.

"Let's cut the pleasantries, shall we?" Pearl said.

"Fine. What do you want?" Damon said bluntly.

"There have been a few… developments that you might be unaware of. When those witches temporarily opened the tomb, they didn't exactly finish the job."

Damon raised one eyebrow. "What do you mean, didn't finish the job?"

"All the vampires in the tomb were released."

Damon's eyes widened in horror. "What? No, that can't be. You two were the only ones who made it out."

Pearl shook her head. "Everyone is out. It wasn't sealed properly. I've been keeping them away from the townspeople. They're not ready for human interaction yet. Which is why I need you."

Damon smirked. "Now why would you need me?"

"Because you're already in with the town council. We need to be reestablished; take back what was taken from us. I'm not talking revenge, merely coexisting once more. If we are going to be able to live a peaceful life again, I need to know that we aren't going to have a repeat performance of last time we came to Mystic Falls."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh, get over it already. The world has moved on. The people here have practically forgotten all about what happened almost 150 years ago. It's been several generations; the mentality is different. It's not all torches and pitchforks."

Pearl smiled knowingly. "No, now it's wooden bullets and digital devices. People are people, Damon. Their basic instincts are the same. When encountering something different, something potentially scary, people always react in fear. They'd rather defeat the unknown than learn about it. But that is not the point; the point is that I need to know who's part of the inner circle, who has vervain, the usual. And you're going to help me."

"I see. And… why would I help you?"

"Because I can help you find Katherine. We were best friends; I know how she thinks, how she would move. Annabelle saw her not that long ago. And it appears that with today's technology, I can track her down in a fraction of the time."

Damon barked a short mirthless laugh. "I don't give a flying fuck where she is, and nor should you. The bitch left you in there for over a century. She can't be _that_ good of a friend."

"Then let me remind you of another thing, young man," she said, advancing on him. "My house-full of vampires blame you and your brother for their years of interment and if they get loose, you won't like it. As for myself, I've got _several_ centuries on you, and you should be mindful of that fact."

"What's it to me?" he said, cocky.

Pearl smiled sweetly and reached out a hand, taking his arm and twisting it until it made several painful cracking noises. Damon cringed and sucked in air between his teeth, determined not to give her the satisfaction of crying out.

When she heard enough bones crunch, she released his arm, now hanging at an unnatural angle. "I think I've made my point clear enough. Come along, Annabelle. Let's leave Damon to think things over. I'm sure he'll be more… agreeable tomorrow."

Anna silently followed her mother out the door, shooting Damon another slightly apologetic look. He shook his head. Amazing how some kids let their parents walk all over them. She was just like Stefan, blindly following the parental figures, assuming they knew best and were going to make everything ok.

He shut the door after them, turning to head back to bed. It was going to take some time and rest to heal from this one. He braced himself as he snapped his arm back into place, gritting his teeth as he felt it already starting to heal.

* * *

Elena rang Stefan's doorbell. She was slightly nervous about meeting him at his place for their study date; who knew if Damon would be there? She hadn't seen him since their "date" the other night, and Stefan hadn't really brought it up, leaving her to believe that either they didn't talk about it or he ignored whatever Damon might have said.

Just her luck. Damon answered the door. "Well hello there, Miss Gilbert. Do come in."

She gave him a funny look as she walked in. He shut the door and headed back to the living room, dropping back -carefully - onto the couch, picking up where he left off much earlier with his cocktail and book.

Elena eyed the glass, smirking. "Bloody Mary?" she asked, sliding her backpack off her shoulder and sitting across from him.

Damon glanced at it. "More like Bloody Jane D'O Positive."

Elena shook her head. "Sometimes I forget how surreal all this can be. So where's Stefan?"

"I dunno. Football practice or cheerleading or something. It's all very John Hughes."

"Right. So…" she trailed off, noticing that he looked uncomfortable and wasn't using one of his arms. "What happened there?" she said, gesturing to his arm.

"Oh, this?" Damon looked irritated. "I had a little visit from Pearl today."

"Anna's mother?" Elena asked, surprised. "I didn't realize they were staying around. What did she want?"

"She wants in with the town council. She wanted to trade information about the council for information about Katherine's whereabouts." He looked up from his book in surprise when Elena moved across the room to sit next to him.

"I'm sorry. That must be really hard for you," she said sympathetically, placing a hand on his good arm.

His eyes flicked down to her hand and back up to her eyes. Of course; as far as Elena knew, he was still pining over Katherine. Sweet - he could totally work this.

"Yeah, it really sucks," he said, trying to look despondent.

"Oh, Damon," Elena said, truly feeling bad for him. He put down his book as she gave him a tender hug, making sure not to touch his still-healing arm.

He tried to hide the smug grin gracing his lips. "I guess I could just really use a friend right now," he said, attempting sincerity. Elena bought it.

"I'm here for you, Damon, whatever you need," she said. She figured she could overlook their turbulent past. After all, he was heartbroken over Katherine; it was highly unlikely that he would continue to mess with her head. This was actually refreshing; now maybe they could be friends, and she could fully re-commit her heart to Stefan now that Damon was no longer sending her conflicting messages about his intentions.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it," Damon said as she pulled away.

"Of course," Elena said, waving his comment away. She bit her lip, thinking of what to say or do next. "So you know what? Stefan and I don't really have to study. The test isn't until Friday, and you should get out of the house. Why don't we go grab dinner or something?"

"Are you sure? I don't want you to blow off Stefan." Ugh - he could barely get the words out without choking on them. But he managed to sound genuine.

"Of course!" She grinned and nudged him with her elbow. "We could call Caroline and Matt. Have a repeat performance of the date from hell."

"I think it ended ok," Damon said with a wink, referencing their goodnight kiss.

"Aaaand he's back," Elena said, rolling her eyes and getting up. "Come on. I'll drive."

* * *

Caroline gave Elena a look as she met her in the restaurant lobby. "Are you high? There's no way I'm going to go through that again," she said, arms crossed. She looked over Elena's shoulder to see Damon give a little wave from across the restaurant.

"Come on Caroline, please? You wouldn't know it to look at him, but he's going through something right now."

"Unless it's a meat grinder, I officially don't care."

"Caroline!"

"What? You remember Damon, right? The guy who treated me like crap?"

"Well… he's changed," Elena offered with a weak smile.

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah," Elena said. "He kind of just went through a really bad breakup, worse than any breakup you or I have ever endured. I think it's given him a little perspective."

Caroline sighed, looking away. "You will owe me big time."

"I know."

"And there will be chocolate involved."

Elena grinned. "I will buy you chocolate."

"And a spa day. And you can't complain about facials or mani-pedis or any other girly thing I make you do."

Elena hugged her. "Thank you, Caroline!"

Caroline rolled her eyes and hugged her back. "Ok, let's get this over with. But I'm pretty sure Matt still hates him."

"Totally fine," Elena assured her. "We can work on him later. He can join us next time."

"Oh God, there's going to be a next time?" Caroline grumbled as Elena pulled her toward their table.

"Yes; he needs friends right now."

"We may need a whole spa weekend," she said under her breath. She shook it off and put on a great big fake smile. "Damon, hi, how are you?"

Elena coughed to cover up a laugh. "More sincere," she coughed at her.

Caroline tossed her hair and slid in the booth beside Elena. "That's as sincere as I can make it," she said out loud. She turned to face Damon. "There's no sense in pretending that until recently I didn't hate your guts."

Damon squinted at her. "Um - does that mean that you do or do not hate my guts at this juncture?"

"I'm reserving judgment. Elena tells me you have some big sob story so I'm trying to be the better person here and give you the benefit of the doubt. Don't ruin it." She picked up a menu and perused it.

Elena smiled and nodded, looking at Damon as if to say, 'see? I told you it would be fine.'

Damon smirked. "So when's this spa weekend? Do we get to wear matching robes?"

Caroline didn't look up from her menu as she addressed Elena. "That chocolate just doubled."

Elena glared at Damon. "Behave."

"I am behaving. Well, for me, anyway. You're grading on a curve, right?" Damon inquired.

"New topic," Elena announced. "So did you enter anything in the fair this year?" she asked Caroline.

"Yes!" Caroline said, finally excited there was something good to talk about. "And no second place this year. Mrs. Corbett can kiss my ass - I'm going for the blue ribbon!"

"Every year we go to the county fair," Elena explained. "It's a pretty big deal around here. You probably realize that we're a bit starved for entertainment. Anyway, Caroline is an amazing cook and she enters a different pie each year. God, since - what, age seven?"

"I think so," Caroline said. "Elena used to compete too. And oh - remember those cute little pigs last year?"

Elena laughed. "Yeah, you tried to convince your mother to let you take one home as a pet."

"I figure if Suzanne Sugarbaker can, why can't I?"

"They have manly events too, right?" Damon asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Oh sure, you and Matt can go to the tractor pull," Elena said with a wink.

"Ooh, and that's perfect because it's right by that amazing country ham biscuit stand!" Caroline exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, and that one that deep fries everything. Remember Matt's face last year when he bit into that deep-fried Snickers?" Elena said.

"Yes! He said it was simultaneously the most disgusting and delicious thing he had ever eaten," Caroline giggled.

Damon looked back and forth between the two girls as they got more and more excited. He shook his head. He was stuck in freaking Mayberry. Next thing he knew they would start talking about canning and preserves and Aunt Bee's kerosene killer pickles.

"So when are we going?" he interrupted.

"Hm?" they both said, turning to him.

"To the fair? You make it sound so… appetizing."

They exchanged a glance. "Now that you mention it, we should go this weekend. Isn't Saturday the day they judge the pies?" Elena asked.

"Yes," Caroline said warily. She eyed Damon and sighed. "I supposed we could get a group together."

"Excellent!" Damon said, rubbing his hands together. Things were coming along nicely…

* * *

"I still don't know why you felt the need to invite my brother," Stefan said, frowning as he leaned against the car. Elena waited until they were ready to leave for the fair before dropping that bomb on him as they stood in his driveway.

"He's heartbroken over Katherine, you know that. Hasn't he been moping around the house for ages?"

"Yes," he said grudgingly.

"He needs to be around friends. Caroline and Matt and everyone will be there. He just needs a bit of normalcy," Elena insisted.

Stefan snorted. "Normalcy? That's not the word I would choose."

Elena slid her arms around Stefan's neck. "Come on, please? He promised he would be on his best behavior," she said, giving him her best puppy-dog eyes.

Stefan rolled his eyes and grinned. "How can I resist when you make that cute face?" He bent his head to kiss her, his arms going to her waist. She pulled away from him as the front door slammed shut. He raised an eyebrow.

"No PDA. I don't want to make him uncomfortable, flaunting our happiness," she murmured.

Stefan sighed. First Damon crashed their day, now he can't touch his own girlfriend? Great.

Elena started laughing the minute she saw Damon, almost unable to catch her breath. "What… the… hell are you wearing?" she guffawed.

Damon looked down. "I just wanted to dress for the occasion."

She shook her head, taking in his choice of clothing. He was wearing jeans and a red and white checkered shirt, total stereotypical cowboy style. He accessorized the look with the biggest belt buckle she'd seen this side of a rodeo and honest-to-god cowboy boots, topping it off with a surprisingly sexy cowboy hat. "They're going to kidnap you and shove you in the middle of the square dancers or cloggers."

Damon merely tipped his hat toward her. "Well then, thank God I'm a country boy."

Elena snickered and got into the car. This should be fun.

* * *

Caroline was doing an internal happy dance. She _finally_ won that blue ribbon, which she accepted gracefully, resisting the urge to wave it in Mrs. Corbett's face. She was on cloud nine, and decided that not even Damon's presence was going to ruin her good mood. Matt seemed to be paying a decent amount of attention to her since Elena had her hands full with the Salvatore brothers. She would take what she could get at this point.

"Congratulations!" Elena shrieked when Caroline returned, almost knocking her over with a forceful hug.

Caroline giggled. "Thanks! Did you see her face? That was almost as good as getting the blue ribbon!"

"Congratulations," Matt said, shyly kissing her cheek. Caroline beamed. She noticed Damon, who now had a piece of hay sticking out from his mouth. He'd been watching way too many westerns.

"Where did you get that?" she said, gesturing to the hay between his teeth.

"What, this?" Damon said, wiggling it up and down. "Somewhere after the prize pigs but before the award-winning quilts."

"Gross. Do you know where that's been?" Caroline said, wrinkling her nose.

"I think a more appropriate question would be does _it_ know where _he's _been," Stefan said.

Elena couldn't help but snicker. "Yeah, why the hay? Why not snuff or a toothpick?"

"Because snuff is gross and I'm not fond of tiny slivers of wood in my mouth," he said pointedly.

Ok, he had her there. She supposed that toothpicks were like tiny stakes to him.

"So where's yours?" Damon asked Elena, peering at the assortment of goodies up for judging.

"Huh? Oh, I so do not cook, that's your department," Elena replied. Stefan raised an eyebrow at Damon only to be met with a satisfied smirk. He'd have to ask about that later.

"I thought you said she used to compete too," Damon said to Caroline.

"Oh! No, sorry, I didn't mean in pies. God, could you imagine? No offense, Elena," she said, catching herself.

"None taken," Elena said honestly.

"She was quite the equestrian back in her day," Caroline explained.

"Really good, too," Matt said. "Won a couple of competitions."

Elena blushed. "Yeah, well, it's Virginia. Every little girl takes horse-riding lessons, it's like the law."

"I didn't know you could ride horses," Stefan said with an encouraging smile.

"It was mainly for my mom… she loved them. They were saving up to buy one when…" Her throat closed up. "Anyway, I don't really ride anymore," she said, looking down. "Do - uh - do you guys ride?" she asked, deflecting.

Damon smirked. "When we were younger… much younger. In fact, one could say that it was our primary mode of transportation at the time, right, Stefan?"

Stefan looked at him dangerously. "Yeah, you could say that."

Elena bit her lip. Duh.

"Anyway, I think Big and Rich have the right idea," Damon said, crooking an arm for Elena to take it, earning another glare from Stefan.

"What's that?" Elena asked, taking his arm.

"Save a horse… ride a cowboy," he said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes and let out a little laugh, hitting him on the shoulder as the group headed out to the carnival rides. He shot a smirk at Stefan over her head. He got Elena to laugh and almost got steam to come out of Stefan's ears. Great day so far.

* * *

Three hours later, Matt wasn't looking too hot. "I'm stuffed," he moaned.

Caroline and Elena giggled. "You do this every year, you know," Elena said. "You try one of everything and get sick. You should have stopped two deep-frieds ago."

"Ugh," he groaned.

"Maybe you should get that man to guess your weight so you know how much you gained today," Caroline teased.

He threw an arm around her shoulders, making her glow. "All I ask is please, can we skip the gravitron? I'm pretty sure I'll hurl if we do any more high intensity rides."

"No high intensity rides? What's the fun in that?" Damon leered at the girls. To Stefan's dismay, they laughed, taking his comment with a grain of salt.

Stefan bit back a snarl. Damon needed to cool it, and fast. He looked over at Elena, her arms overflowing with dumb stuffed animals that Damon won at all the carnie games. Stefan deferred every time they got to a game, not wanting to give anything away with his superhuman speed and agility. Apparently Damon didn't give a damn because he went right up with Matt and they both came back with prizes.

Elena noticed his face. "What's wrong?" she whispered as they hung back from the crowd.

Stefan jerked his head in Damon's direction, knowing Damon would overhear him if he said anything aloud.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Seriously? We're just having fun here. You agreed that this would be good for… everyone."

"Our ideas of fun are very different," Stefan said.

"Oh really? What exactly do you mean by that?" Elena asked.

"I mean that you're _my_ girlfriend, not his."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "And what's that supposed to mean? What exactly has he done to make you so jealous? I haven't noticed anything."

"I just don't trust him, that's all. And neither should you."

Elena's stubbornness kicked in. "You can't tell me who and who not to trust. He's never lied to me. Not once. Can you say the same?"

"That's not fair," Stefan said.

"Yeah, well, life's not fair. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the ladies room. When I get back, I hope your attitude will have changed." She strode ahead and gestured to Caroline. They dumped their stuffed animals in the boys' arms before heading off to the nearby restrooms.

"What's eating you?" Caroline asked, noting Elena's barely contained ire as they washed their hands, Elena scrubbing hers harder than normal.

"Stefan," she said, figuring they were out of hearing range. "He's all bent out of shape being jealous of Damon. Can you imagine? How stupid," she said, ripping off a paper towel.

"I don't know - it's not _that_ stupid," Caroline said, checking her makeup.

"What? Are you crazy?"

Caroline shrugged. "Well, not to be mean or completely biased, but Damon's kind of hotter than Stefan. If I were Stefan, I wouldn't be too thrilled about the possibility of the competition getting so close to my girlfriend."

"That's ridiculous. Damon's not his competition," Elena said, now worried that their somewhat restrained sexual tension was visible to everyone.

"Well I know you've never thought of Damon like that," Caroline continued, while Elena breathed a mental sigh of relief. "But I saw you guys dancing together at the Decade Dance and… well… you just totally looked like a couple."

"Oh," Elena said quietly, not sure how to respond.

"But don't worry," Caroline said quickly, "we all know better. I guess I just get what it feels like to be irrationally jealous," she said with a knowing smile.

Elena smiled back. "Well just like you, Stefan has _nothing_ to worry about," she said, though a small part of her felt like she was telling a tremendous lie. If things were different…

They exited the restrooms and scanned the crowd for the boys, and Elena accidentally bumped into a couple.

"Sorry," she apologized.

The man looked at her in wonder. "Katherine?"

Elena's heart stopped. "Uh - no - sorry, you must have the wrong person," she said, hoping her erratic breathing wouldn't give her away.

The man cocked his head to one side, regarding her curiously. "My mistake," he said. His girlfriend pulled him along, also giving her a strange look.

Elena swallowed, trying not to panic.

"That was weird," Caroline said. "Hey - are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just - just a second." She whipped out her phone and sent out a simultaneous text to Stefan and Damon. Not two seconds after she pressed send, they appeared before her.

"Which way?" Damon asked.

"That way," Elena said, pointing to the direction that the couple walked away.

Matt joined them. "Hey, you guys moved pretty fast. What's going on?"

"I'll go - you've got your arms full," Stefan said sarcastically to Damon. He moved fast as he possibly dared.

"What's going on?" Caroline asked, confused, taking her stuffed animals from Matt.

"Nothing," Damon said sharply. He thrust his armful of prizes at Matt. "I have a sudden urge to ride the ferris wheel. Let' s go, Elena." He grabbed her hand and strode over to the ticket taker, making eye contact with the guy way longer than necessary, then huffing impatiently until they got on the ride.

"What are you - well, we - doing?" Elena asked, climbing in and sitting in the seat across from him.

"I can see more from up here. I compelled him to have us stop once we get to the top," he said, his eyes scanning the crowd below.

Elena shivered. The higher they rose, the cooler the air was. She should have worn more layers. She was also pretty freaked out, especially once they stopped at the top.

"Dammit, I don't recognize anyone," he said, leaning over the side, making their car rock a bit.

"Can you…" Elena took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Do you have to do that?"

"Sorry," he said tersely, shifting back. His phone rang. "Did you find them?" he answered without small talk. "Ok. No, we're on the ferris wheel. Safer for Elena and better for me to look at the crowd. We'll be back soon. What was that? Oh, bite me." He hung up.

Elena couldn't help but smile a little. "Bite me?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "He was being stupid. But more importantly, we didn't see anything unusual, which means either they've gone or we don't know who we're dealing with."

"But if they knew Katherine, doesn't that mean they know you?"

"Not necessarily. But he could have been one of the vampires from the tomb."

"What?" Elena said, suddenly feeling more justified in her feeling of fear.

"Yeah, that was part deux of Pearl's threat. Apparently the tomb wasn't sealed properly and all the vampires got out. Pearl's keeping them under lock and key until they're ready for human interaction, though I don't know how she intends to keep them all kumbayah with the locals when they haven't eaten in 150 years."

Elena let it all sink in. "So… basically if any of them got out right now, not only would they be a general danger to the town but they would be specifically after you?"

Damon gave her a grim look. He didn't need to answer.

She nodded slowly and started to rub her arms, looking out into the sky. Suddenly, the impending darkness seemed a lot scarier.

Damon noticed her distress. "Cold?"

"Uh, yeah," she said.

"C'mere," he said, sliding to one side of his seat. She carefully got up and sat on his side, situating herself underneath his raised arm and pressing close to his side. She crossed her arms and leaned her head on his shoulder. She told herself she let him wrap his arms around her because she was cold, but really she was also seeking comfort. She was reminded of the night that he spent in her bed, holding her and keeping her safe from the monsters outside.

"I'm worried," she said aloud.

"Don't be. We won't let anyone hurt you."

"I'm not worried for me - I'm worried for you! I couldn't stand it if anything…" she didn't finish the sentence, just stared out at the unsuspecting people below.

Damon needed to focus, telling himself to get a grip. Every time he had an opportunity to exploit her feelings or manipulate the situation, she managed to pierce through his armor. He thought he had an airtight seal around his heart, but Elena kept chipping away at it. He had no idea why she would even give a shit about him, let alone worry on his behalf. He kind of liked that she worried about him.

"You worry about me?" he said, smiling and raising an eyebrow.

"I - no, I mean, yes, I mean… we're dealing with scary stuff here!" she said, tongue tied.

"I can take care of myself," he said confidently.

"I know you can, but that doesn't stop me from worrying," she said with a frown. She thought about it a moment. "Damon?"

"Hm?"

"How long has it been since somebody worried about you?"

He looked at her in surprise. That was an unexpected question. "I guess… I guess my father, in his own weird way. He didn't think much of me, but I'm sure he cared on some level."

"You deserve to have someone worry about you," she decided, closing her eyes and snuggling closer.

Damon looked at her, unguarded for a moment. He moved to brush a lock of hair off her face, prompting her to open her eyes. "I have you, don't I?"

Elena opened her mouth, not sure what to say. What exactly did he mean by that? And why couldn't she stop staring at his lips? She licked her lips and prayed for her heart rate to slow down. She was jolted back to reality when the ferris wheel began to move again. She tore her eyes from his lips and stared guiltily at her lap.

"Thanks for warming me up - I feel much better now," she said, deciding not to respond to his question.

"So do I," Damon said, smiling and looking out at the crowd as they descended, finally reaching the ground. He noted that Matt and Caroline looked slightly confused and a bit put-out at not knowing what was going on. Stefan, however, was looking daggers at Damon. And Damon was pretty sure he knew _exactly_ what was going on…

* * *

**_Author's note: Looks like Damon's getting closer and closer all the time... wonder how Elena's truly feeling about him these days? And it seems like Stefan no longer has his trusting blinders on anymore. He sees right through Damon's "friend" act, but what's he going to do about it, and what will that mean for everyone? As always, thanks for reading, and let me know what you think of it so far. (Please don't say 'rubbish'... :) Just a little anglophile humor for you there.)_**


	17. Chapter 17

******Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Sigh. What an amazing finale they gave us! And who else called it about Katherine being back? Saw that coming a mile away - well, at least when she dropped her arm and gave Jenna the death glare before being invited in. (Suuuuper-satisfying kiss, though. Don't care if it was technically the wrong girl. The roomie and I rewound and watched it again anyway.) Meanwhile, sorry it took so long for me to post. Real life taking up my time and what not. But hopefully you'll forgive me as this is an insanely long chapter. So on to the good stuff!**_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

Damon was reclined on the couch, but his peaceful reading session kept getting interrupted. He glanced across the living room to watch a brooding Stefan pace the floor. He rolled his eyes and snapped his book shut. "What is your _deal_?" he sighed dramatically. "You've been at it for ten minutes and you're irritating me, so either yell at me or leave the room."

Stefan stopped. "You know what my 'deal' is?" he said, using air quotes. "My 'deal' is that you are guilting Elena into feeling sorry for you in the wild hope that her pity will turn into a misguided sense of affection."

"I'm sorry, when did we turn into Dawson and Pacey? I mean, you might want to be careful there, sport. Pacey ended up with the girl."

Stefan ground his teeth. "Just… stay away from Elena."

"Kinda hard when she's here all the time."

"What?"

Damon held up a finger to silence Stefan. One second later, the doorbell rang. He smirked and sprang off the couch, beating Stefan to the door. "Elena," he greeted her, giving her what he assumed was an exuberant smile. He wasn't sure he got the tone right; he was aiming for somewhere between eager and honest, with a dash of charming. Whatever it was, it worked, because she returned his smile.

"Hey there," she said, surprising him by giving him a tentative hug as a greeting. He lifted her up and swung her around, just enough to toss a smirk over her shoulder at a fuming Stefan, soliciting an innocent giggle from Elena when he set her back down. She tucked her hair behind her ears and turned to see Stefan, who changed his face to a welcoming smile before she could notice the glare he was giving Damon.

"Hey, Stefan," she said. She was surprised when he greeted her with a kiss that lasted longer than usual.

Damon made a gagging face as Stefan kissed her with his eyes open, looking at Damon to make his point. Damon rolled his eyes; why doesn't he just pee on her, as long as he's marking his territory?

Elena blushed as she pulled away. "So… um… ready to start on that history assignment?"

"Sure," Stefan said, taking her hand and leading her to his room.

Damon crossed his arms and watched them leave. Stefan seemed so sure of himself. Pity. It wouldn't last long.

* * *

"Stefan, stop, come on, we've got to do our homework," Elena protested, trying to concentrate on her history book while Stefan placed insistent kisses on her neck.

"It's history, it's not going anywhere," he murmured in between kisses.

Elena couldn't deny that he was stirring familiar feelings in her, but she felt awkward making out with Stefan while Damon was in the house. She didn't know how far that super-vamp hearing extended. She gently shoved him away. "Not now."

Stefan sighed, hanging his head and pressing one last kiss to her shoulder. "Ok," he said reluctantly. He tried not to read anything into it, but something was off. Normally they would both be so distracted by each other that the books would be on the floor and they would be in the bed by now. But recently, Elena shied away from intimacy, and he tried to rationalize it. She had so much going on. She was stressed. She was going through things right now. But all those reasons sounded hollow in his mind. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It didn't help that he was hungry and she was so… alive.

"Tell you what," he said, closing his book. "I'm going to go… have a snack," he said with a slight smirk, "and when I get back I'll be ready to concentrate on this assignment, ok?"

"Ok," Elena said. "How long will you be gone?"

Stefan smiled wryly. "It's mid- afternoon… plenty of activity in the woods. I'll be back in an hour or two." He kissed her goodbye and grabbed his jacket, gone in a flash.

Elena sighed and rubbed her arms, absentmindedly looking around his room. She needed a distraction.

She wandered out of his room and down the stairs, following the familiar hum of the television to its source. She grinned as she saw Damon lounging on the couch, popping some kind of candy into his mouth. So normal, yet so strange. Who knew vampires liked junk food?

"Sweets for the sweet?" Damon asked without turning to look at her. He raised the candy box above his head and rattled it at her. She took the box from him, smiling her thanks and flopping down beside him.

"What are we watching?" she asked, grabbing a nearby blanket and wrapping it around herself as she tossed the candy on the table.

"Hey, _I_ shared with _you_," Damon smirked, inclining his head toward the blanket. Elena rolled her eyes but offered him half the blanket, kicking off her shoes and tucking her feet underneath her.

"So again I ask," she said. "What are we watching?"

"I don't know. Nothing good is on," he said, flipping channels.

"Here, let me," she said, stealing the remote.

"Hey," he protested.

Elena ignored him, flipping until she found a suitable option. "Here we go," she said, turning up the volume.

"Twilight? Seriously? Isn't there something better on? Like a made-for-tv Lifetime movie, or some show where people clean their house and cry?" Damon whined.

"Shut up. You know you secretly love it. Besides, it just gives you yet another opportunity to correct all the mistakes in the vampire universe of our puny little human imaginations."

"Fine, but I reserve mocking rights."

"Understood." Elena looked around the couch, searching for something.

"What are you looking for?" Damon asked.

"This!" she said triumphantly. She fluffed up a throw pillow and tossed it in the narrow space between Damon's lap and the arm of the sofa before suddenly shifting, extending herself along the couch and wiggling her upper body on his lap until her head molded perfectly to the pillow, her back snug against his abs. She kicked at the blanket until it covered her legs and sighed in contentment. _Now_ she was comfortable.

Damon watched in amusement. This was awfully cuddly for 'friends.' A million possibilities flashed through his mind, but he thought he would tease her slowly instead. He slipped his hand under the blanket and over her waist at the point where her top rode up, producing a lovely gap of skin between her hoodie and sweatpants. He noticed the sharp intake of breath she tried to hide and held back a chuckle. Thank God she decided to go all workout-casual today… it would make his teasing _so_ much easier.

He left his hand there for quite some time, noting that it took her a full five minutes to relax, presumably because she decided he wasn't trying to feel her up. Oh, Elena. Dear, sweet, naïve Elena. He let her keep believing that, tossing sarcastic remarks and trading banter over the film. He waited until a certain point before he took the next step.

"See how he threw himself across the room rather than take things further? That's ridiculous and unnecessary," he said.

"I don't know; don't you think it's kind of romantic? That he doesn't want to hurt her?"

Damon scoffed. "Another popular misconception. Yes, we have superhuman speed and strength, and use that to our advantage. It's part of our instincts. But you and I did plenty and _I _never hurt _you_ with my speed or strength, did I?" Success. Thought planted. Elena aroused.

"N-no… nope, you, uh, didn't."

Damon started to move his hand sideways, slowly slipping it between the waistband of her sweats and sliding underneath her panties. Her breathing started to quicken dramatically.

"I mean, I could have released my superhuman speed on you if I wanted to," he said teasingly.

Elena swallowed thickly, keeping her eyes glued to the movie. "Ok, point made. You can stop now."

Damon ignored her, following the signs of her body rather than the words coming out of her mouth. "For example," he said, dipping his fingers between her closed thighs to run along her wetness. He smirked when she turned her lower body ever so slightly so her hips were facing up rather than forward, unconsciously opening her legs a little to allow him access. He didn't give her time to rationalize. "There are times when superhuman speed comes in… handy," he quipped, flattening his hand on her abdomen. His middle finger found her clit and he began moving it faster than she would have thought possible.

Elena cried out in surprise, then in pleasure. How was he doing that? Ok, well, she knew how, but how did she let him? They were just supposed to be watching a movie! She thought she was keeping a friendly yet safe distance between their heads, making any accidental kissing impossible. Ok, well, that sounded dumb when she rationalized it. Like there was such a thing as accidental kissing. But somehow she believed there might be if Damon were involved. She just didn't realize she could accidentally let him… oh boy. Elena's whole body tensed before she had a violent orgasm.

"That was…" she said, trying to catch her breath.

"Amazing?" Damon smirked.

"I was going to say inappropriate. Yeah, that was inappropriate," she said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself as much as him.

"No it wasn't. I was just trying to make a point," he said, punctuating the word 'point' by slipping his index finger inside her.

She gasped, but tried to collect her thoughts. She gripped his forearm. "Damon, come on, you… we can't do stuff like that."

"Sorry," he said. He didn't sound sorry at all. He pulled his hand away, resting it again on her waist.

Elena turned to face him, scooting herself up so her elbows were propped up on the arm of the sofa. She tried to ignore the fact that his hand was still on her waist, and his thumb was tracing little circles on her skin. It was so sexy and tender all at once, like his hand had a perfect right to be there, driving her crazy. "Listen, Damon, I know you're hurting from what happened with… her… but this isn't the solution. We can't do this to Stefan. Just because there's this…" she searched for the right word, but none would come, "thing between us, it doesn't mean we should act on it. I thought we agreed to be friends."

Damon's eyes scanned her face, his other hand tracing a line down her cheek before running through her hair. "I'm sorry, Elena." He thought fast. "You know, once you turn, things are… different, in more ways than one. You can turn off emotions - guilt, fear, love - like you're flipping a switch. Our natural instincts are to eliminate emotion. It's basic survival for us. But you," he said, looking her deep in the eyes, "you make me _feel_, Elena."

His brain told him he was just manipulating her, but somewhere inside, a little voice kept nagging away. And he knew he meant those words, whether he liked it or not.

Elena was lost in his gaze. What an incredible thing to say. What an incredible thing for _Damon_ to say, of all people! "I… I do?"

"You do," he said. "And do you know how you make me feel?"

Words failed her. She shook her head.

Damon smiled. God, he was brilliant. "Like this." He lightly gripped her chin, tilting it up. He noted that she didn't shy away. She let him draw her in. And she let him place the gentlest of kisses on her lips. He didn't know how many more chances he'd get; he doubted he'd be able to craft a better opening line in the foreseeable future. So he kissed her like he'd never kissed her before. A kiss that - he hoped - conveyed emotion. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up so she was flush against his chest, inching forward on the couch and noting with satisfaction that she slid one leg up and around until she had both legs curled around his waist. But he was smart enough to keep the kiss from getting too heated. He knew that if he carried her to his bed this minute, she would follow through and they would be having another hot afternoon of sex. But that wouldn't serve his greater purpose. Instead, he opted to frame her face with his hands, pulling away and breaking the kiss long enough to look at her as she returned his gaze, wide-eyed and breathless. He smiled when her eyes automatically closed in anticipation of another kiss. And he didn't disappoint. He kissed her tenderly, wrapping one arm around her back, the other tangling in her hair. He broke the kiss again, this time placing kisses on her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids.

Elena nearly swooned when he pressed feather-light kisses to her eyelids. This was not the same Damon who repeatedly seduced her only to throw her away at the first sign of trouble. This was a more… humanized Damon. One who had been hurt. He always had that hidden hurt puppy dog look hiding behind his vicious façade. He pretended not to care, but Elena knew that his existence was a lonely one. His only constant all these years was Stefan, and that relationship wasn't even a good one.

Oh God… Stefan. Once again, she had completely forgotten about him. It was all well and good that Damon seemed to be healing and in touch with his human side again, and that she was the one who did it. But poor Stefan.

Elena savored his kiss, knowing it needed to be their last one. She placed a hand on his chest, and he got her silent message, softly breaking away to gaze at her. "Damon," she said, trying to ignore the way he was looking at her, like he was in… no, impossible. She tried to clear her head. "Look, I'm glad that you're feeling… positive emotions, and I'm glad I could help you feel better, but I'm with Stefan, and it would be wrong to continue this as long as I'm with him."

Damon shrugged. "So then break up with him."

"I can't just break up with him! He loves me."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "I see. So _you_ can't break up with _him _because _he_ loves _you_. Do you see something wrong with this picture? Staying with him to spare his feelings isn't a good enough reason."

"Well…" Elena didn't want to say it. She knew she was about to hurt Damon, and this time it would be completely her fault and no one else's. "I love him, too."

Damon's eyes hardened and flashed momentarily. He blinked and they cleared, but Elena saw the hurt he was concealing. "Fine. I guess I just thought that maybe… " He searched her face, feigning earnestness. He was satisfied when he saw the smallest flicker of uncertainty. He could work with that. He cleared this throat, pretending the moment was awkward. "So, uh, where is my little brother now?"

Elena looked around the room, finding a clock. "Huh, that's weird. He said he'd only be gone an hour or so, but it's been hours. I wonder where he could be."

"Where did he say he was going?" Damon asked.

"To the woods to hunt."

Damon narrowed his eyes. He had a pretty good idea of what could be lurking in those woods. "Tell you what. Why don't you give him a call? Stay here, I'm going to go check something out."

"Ok," Elena said, shifting so he could stand. She dialed Stefan's number, and before the first ring, she heard Damon's car starting up. Where was he going? "Hey, Stefan, it's Elena… just call me when you get this, ok?" She hung up the phone and sighed. She noticed the movie was over and changed the channel. She'd had enough of vampires for the moment.

* * *

"Where is he?" Damon demanded.

"I'm sorry, who are you looking for?" the man said, smiling dangerously in the doorway.

Damon paced in front of the door to Pearl's current residence. "Frederick, right? You know who. My brother. Where. Is. He?"

"Oh, right, the young Salvatore, one of Katherine's bitches. Yeah, he's here. In the basement. Do you want to know why he's in the basement?"

"I'm more interested in getting him out of the basement."

"I figured you would be." He smiled at Damon's attempt at entry. "Yeah, the poor woman lives here all alone. We give her company, don't we?" Frederick said. A woman appeared at his side, covered in bite marks. "Don't let this man in the house. He's a bad man," Frederick said, compelling her.

"Alright, dear," she said with a blank smile. He released her and she walked away.

"So back to Stefan. The way we see it, he locked us away for 145 years of agony. You don't know what it's like, being left to wither away, consciousness still lingering."

"I have an idea," he said, recalling the time Stefan locked him up.

"The hell you do," Frederick barked. "So we thought we'd return the favor. A little vervain, a lot of pain. Some might call it torture. We call it pay back."

Damon snarled. "Release him, or you'll be sorry."

Frederick scoffed. "I'll be sorry? No, I think you'll be sorry. After all, you're next. Now if you'll excuse me, I've just thought of an excellent use for our hostess's dinner knives." He slammed the door in Damon's face.

Damon fumed, trying to think of a way into the house. All of a sudden, the solution seemed very clear…

* * *

"Hell no. You tried to kill me and you turned my wife. Which, by the way, how is that not common knowledge yet?" Alaric said, downing his drink and staring at the crazy man sitting next to him at the bar. What the bartenders must think of them…

"Ok, first of all, I _did_ kill you, even though it was a temporary state, and you've tried to kill me, so I think we're even. And Isobel was begging for it, literally. She wanted this lifestyle and who was I to refuse? You practically drove her to me."

Alaric ground his teeth. If only he had his equipment on him…

"So here's the thing," Damon continued. "I know you hate me. Most people do. But my brother doesn't, and I'd like to keep it that way. Actually, I'd just settle for keeping him alive, and that's where you come in."

"Really," Alaric said dryly.

"Yeah, see, he's kind of locked away in a house full of vampires, and before I can go all Terminator on their asses, I have to be able to get inside the house. And until I'm invited in, no go."

"And why should I help you?"

"Because unlike me, Stefan is a good guy. He fits right in with your do-gooder gang."

Alaric shook his head. "Not a good enough reason."

"Well then how about this: you help me rescue Stefan, I help you find Isobel." That got his attention.

"How?" Alaric asked grudgingly.

Damon shrugged. "I have contacts."

Alaric considered it. "So if I help you…"

"I return the favor. Come on, I thought you were a teacher. You're smart enough to get this the first time. So are you in, or what?"

Alaric sighed. He must be crazy…

* * *

"You must be crazy! You're not going without me!" Elena cried.

"I've explained this a dozen times. Alaric goes in, stakes blazing, and I follow him in. We'll be like Starsky and Hutch. Simon and Simon. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

Elena shook her head. "I'm coming with you."

"It's too dangerous, Elena," Alaric said. He hated that he was agreeing with Damon on anything.

"It's Stefan!" she shrieked. What she couldn't say was how guilty she felt. She loved Stefan, but her feelings for Damon were threatening to overtake her feelings for Stefan, and she felt awful.

Damon was frustrated. He was not getting through to her. He grabbed her shoulders. "Elena, try to understand. We're going into a house full of vampires. We might not make it out, and we're sure as hell not going to make it out if you come with us. I can't focus on what we need to do if I'm worrying about protecting you!" He willed her to understand.

Elena bit her lip. She was worried about Damon and Alaric too. She couldn't bear the thought of all three of them getting hurt, or worse. She just wanted so badly to help. "Fine. But I'm coming with you."

"Did you not just hear what I said?" Damon growled.

"I heard you. I won't go inside, but I'm at least waiting in the car." She crossed her arms with an air of finality.

"Fine, fine, can we just go?" Damon said. Alaric nodded. They were off.

* * *

It had been a long time. Too long. They should have found him by now. Elena tapped on the steering wheel nervously. She kept watching the house in the distance, expecting them to surface at any minute. She perked up when she saw two figures emerging from the house. They came closer and she saw that Alaric was with Stefan, holding his arm around his shoulder as he limped to the car. Elena flung open the door and ran to help him. She helped Stefan into the passenger seat, trying to be gentle every time he cringed. She looked up at Alaric, not daring to ask her question aloud. He understood.

"I'll be back. If we're not back in five minutes - five minutes, Elena - you leave anyway, you hear me?" Alaric said.

She nodded. She watched him walk away, sending up silent prayers for him and Damon to return safely. Stefan moaned beside her.

"You're ok, you're safe now," she said, hushing him.

"I know," he said, wincing in pain as his body continued to heal itself. "It will just take awhile, but I'll be fine, I promise."

"Good. I was so worried about you," she said truthfully. She reached for the keys, intending to turn them just enough to get the air conditioning flowing. That's funny; she left the keys in the ignition when she got out to help Stefan. Realization dawned and she looked out the window in panic.

"No!" she screamed as Frederick ripped open the passenger door, pulling Stefan out and dragging him away from the car. She got out, searching the car for something, anything to help Stefan. She found one of Alaric's weapons, grabbing it and running after Stefan and Frederick. She cried out as Frederick staked him, drawing out his torture for as long as possible before he decided to stake him in the heart. She aimed and shot, knocking Frederick down as he withdrew the stake. He never got to aim it at Stefan's chest, instead dropping to the ground as the vervain worked its way into his system. Elena threw away the weapon and dropped to Stefan's side.

"I'm sorry… I can't…" Stefan could barely get the words out. Elena saw him start to change, to get even paler. His breathing became labored.

"Stefan, what do you need?"

"Nothing," he whispered. "I love you, Elena. Always remember that."

"No!" she cried. "No, Stefan, you're going to be fine. Just tell me what to do."

"The damage is too much, Elena."

"No, it's not," she said, refusing to accept it. She looked down at her wrist, and suddenly an idea came to her head. "Feed on me," she said.

Stefan shook his head. "Elena, no."

"Yes, come on! I don't know how long he'll be down for, and you're dying! Just one bite. Just drink enough to heal. Come on, Stefan, you've got to!"

He closed his eyes, fighting an internal battle. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Here," she said, thrusting her wrist at his mouth.

He got that familiar tingle in his teeth and knew the battle was over. Tentatively, he opened his mouth and sank his teeth into her wrist. The feeling was intoxicating; it had been over a hundred years since he had tasted human blood, and it awakened his senses. He began to drink more greedily.

Elena didn't know what she had expected. Well, that was a lie. She expected it to feel the same way it felt when Damon fed on her. When Damon did it, she got the same warm glow that she got from drinking, without the fuzziness in the head. It was a sensation like arousal and made her crave more. When Stefan was feeding on her, it was slightly uncomfortable, and the act of seeing him feed off her wrist was not as attractive as she'd imagined. When Damon drank from her neck it was sensual, but this was just… she didn't have time to think about it. Stefan opened his eyes and noticed the look of fear in her eyes, worried when he saw disgust mixed in with the fear. He released her wrist, which she immediately cradled to her chest.

"How… how do you feel?" she asked.

"Better, much better. I'm healing faster. Thank you," he said, a hundred different feelings and emotions shooting through his head. He wasn't sure if he could handle this. That is, until he saw Frederick stirring, trying to crawl over and finish the job he started.

In a flash, Stefan grabbed the abandoned stake and plunged it into Frederick's heart. Elena clapped her hands over her mouth. She had seen this before; Stefan had to stake that vampire at the school dance. But this was different. Before, it was a chore. But this time it looked as though Stefan enjoyed it.

"We should get back," Elena said, suddenly a little wary of Stefan's behavior. They walked silently back to the car, leaning against it until the others returned. Elena found the keys nearby on the ground, and tucked them into her pocket. She waited impatiently as the minutes ticked by. Just as she was about to say something, she saw them, jogging out of the door. She nearly cried in relief. Alaric looked exhilarated, though he was still on alert. Damon looked a little worse for the wear, but was in one piece. Elena resisted the urge to hug him. They all loaded back into the car and drove home, silently.

* * *

Elena watched as Stefan eased himself into his bed, claiming that all he needed was a little rest and he'd be as good as new. She tucked him in and turned out the light, noticing that he was asleep before her fingers touched the switch. She quietly shut the door behind her, and found herself walking toward Damon's room. He had peeled off his shirt to reveal several gashes. She couldn't tell how fast they were healing considering some spots were still covered in blood.

"Oh, Damon," she heard herself say in concern.

He turned to look at her. "Just a flesh wound," he quipped. Her expression remained serious. "Come on, haven't you ever watched Monty Python? We're going to have to review your Netflix queue, sweetie. I suspect I need to make several additions to it."

Elena ignored his attempt at lighthearted humor, passing him and going into his bathroom, emerging with a wet washcloth. She dabbed at his chest and back, cleaning off the blood, biting her lower lip all the while. When she was satisfied that he seemed to have healed - at least superficially - she stopped.

Damon noticed that her hand was still trembling.

"Hey," he said softly, taking the washcloth out of her hand and tossing it on the counter.

The words burst from her mouth, unbidden. "I'm just so glad you're alright," she said, tossing her arms around his neck and hugging him for dear life.

Damon smiled and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Who gave a damn if it hurt like hell. It was nice to be needed, to be cared about. Damon knew that even if he wasn't trying to mess with her mind, Elena would still be here, glad to see him alive. And that made him feel… well, alive. Ok, a little too alive. She was crushing him. "Elena, Elena, I'm glad you're glad that I'm alright and everything, but I think I need to lay down for a minute. I'm not 100% yet."

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," Elena said, turning red and releasing him.

"Don't be," he smirked. He dropped his pants and flopped down on the bed in his underwear. He noticed she started blushing deeper. "Hey, I didn't say I couldn't still do with a hug."

"A hug? But I thought… oh!" Elena didn't get to finish her thought as he pulled her down beside him.

"_Much_ better," he sighed, pulling her to his side. He turned his head and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. It was intoxicating.

Elena kicked off her shoes and grabbed the comforter from the bottom of the bed. If she was going to give in to this, she might as well commit. She unzipped her hoodie, tossing it aside so she was left in her tank top and sweatpants. She pulled the comforter over them, snuggling close to Damon and tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder. This was nice. She had missed this. No - wait - she wouldn't allow herself to think of before. She couldn't think back on the times they spent together in bed, otherwise she would surely become aroused, and even with diminished powers, Damon could probably sense it anyway. She sighed as all the tension from the day faded away. She slid her arm across Damon's chest, stopping when she heard him hiss in pain.

"I'm sorry, did that hurt?" she asked.

"No, no, it's a good hurt. Don't move a muscle," he said.

Elena rolled her eyes. Trust Damon to choose female companionship over internal injuries. She was about to make a smart remark when he lifted her wrist off his chest, inspecting it.

"How's your arm?" he asked, noticing the bite mark.

"Fine," she lied. She realized he didn't know why she had it - he was probably imagining some sort of attack. "Stefan wasn't going to make it - Frederick was about to kill us both, so I offered my wrist to Stefan. It felt… different than when you… um… you know. But it's fine."

Damon raised an eyebrow. Well isn't this an interesting development. "So you're saying that Stefan fed from you? He ingested human blood?"

"Yeah…"

"Huh. Well, this should be interesting. He's been doing the animal thing for over a hundred years now as far as I know. It's going to be quite the shock to his system."

"Will it hurt him?" Elena asked, suddenly worried.

Damon chuckled. "Quite the contrary. Think of it in terms of drinking a Monster versus a soda. Both give you an energy boost, but one is much more significant. It will just be interesting to see if he can go back to drinking animal blood after this."

"Oh." Elena wasn't sure what to say to that. But the thought led her in a different direction. "Well you look like you got hurt pretty bad too. Are you going to need to feed in order to heal?"

"Not necessarily, but it sure speeds up the process."

Elena swallowed thickly. She had a feeling that what she was about to suggest would be a far more sensual experience than she should be having right now, but she told herself it was all in concern for Damon's well-being. "If you want…" she didn't even have to finish the offer. She pulled her hair to one side, exposing her neck.

"It's ok, Elena. I'll heal eventually, you don't have to," he said. But he could feel his teeth aching to spring to action. He had that telltale dryness in his mouth.

"I want to. It would give me peace of mind to know you're completely healed," she said. She didn't know why she was pushing the issue. He was right; he would heal eventually. But maybe she wanted to be the one to save him this time.

"Fine, but since you've lost blood today, I'll only do it on one condition."

"What's that?"

"That you drink from me first. It's the only way you'll make it without passing out."

Elena paused. Could she do that again? She looked at Damon and knew she made the decision before she even had time to form a conscious thought. "Ok."

She blinked and in the span of a second, Damon's neck was bleeding. She didn't know how or with what object, but in the exact spot where vampires generally feed from their victims, he had managed to cut himself. She licked her lips and looked at him. He nodded slightly and she leaned over and tentatively licked at the blood pooling on his neck. She was again struck by how unnatural it was. She kept waiting for it to disgust her, but the negative emotions never came. She moved closer and began to lick up all the blood. She started to actually suck on the spot once the blood was gone. She soon stopped thinking of it as drinking his blood, and got lost in the act much like she would have if she was just giving him a run of the mill hickey. She continued to suck as she felt a tiny pinprick on her own neck. The warm, fuzzy feelings began to flow through her body. She gasped, pulling away from Damon's neck and closing her eyes, arching her back as the pleasure coursed through her mind. She was already feeling heady from the vampire blood now in her system. She clutched Damon's shoulders as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. He rolled them over so he was lying on top of her. Elena was breathing heavily now, awash in the sensations of feeding. She held onto his shoulder blades, writhing beneath him. She was surprised at how aroused she was; was feeding always like this? It sure didn't seem like it from the other examples she'd seen. Maybe it was the voluntary nature of the act. Or maybe it was that the chemistry between her and Damon was so strong that anything that required proximity automatically became sexual in nature.

Damon finally pulled away, breathing heavily himself. He licked his lips clean, still somehow unsure of how it would look to Elena. But her eyes were boring into him and her chest was heaving, and she was still clutching his back, holding him in place. He knew he had promised himself to keep things chaste, but with her hands on his bare skin and her leg wrapping around him, it was becoming harder by the minute. Literally.

"Thank you," he said in a low voice. He leaned down and brushed a kiss on her cheek. He gauged her reaction and kissed the other cheek, noticing that her eyes fluttered shut and her lips were parted. He dragged his lips across her skin, lightly tracing a path from her cheek to the corner of her mouth, hovering there, barely touching her skin. He waited an agonizing three seconds before she turned her head a fraction of an inch, meeting his lips full-on. That was all he needed.

He crashed his lips to hers, in a heady sense of urgency driven by the blood they just shared. He ripped off her tank top and bra, noting after the fact that she'd have to go bare underneath her hoodie when she left. The thought just made him hornier. He helped her shimmy out of her sweatpants and panties, shedding his own underwear in the process. They were naked in record time, and knowing how wet she already was for him, Damon wasted no time in sliding inside her.

Elena bit back a cry as Damon thrust into her. She had waited so long for this without realizing it. She clutched at him wildly, meeting him thrust for thrust. She moaned when he ran a hand down from her hip to her knee, grazing along her thigh and pulling it up as he moved with tantalizing force. She wrapped both legs around him, trying to meld them together. She didn't know why she fought so hard against it; Stefan, with all his insistence and professions of love, never made her feel this way. Damon awakened something in her that she never knew existed. And she couldn't help it; she was falling in love with him. The more he showed his human side, the more she loved him. And she was never sure if he loved her back, or if any of his emotions were real. But the concern he showed over Stefan was real. And the way protected her was real. And the way he looked at her… Elena got out of her head and looked at Damon as he brushed aside her hair, maintaining eye contact as he entered her again and again. Elena felt herself building toward a climax and cursed it for happening too soon. She wanted this to last forever. She cried out as she came, Damon silencing her cry with his kiss as he shuddered and emptied himself in her, too tired from getting his butt kicked to go several rounds tonight.

Damon knew that as inevitable as their lovemaking session was, it was also inevitable that Elena would be overcome with crippling guilt and run away, citing her relationship with Stefan as a reason to keep a safe distance from Damon. But not this time. He wasn't going to let her. He pressed soft kisses into her shoulder. "It's late," he murmured.

"Oh, um, yeah, I can get my stuff…" Elena stammered, suddenly very embarrassed.

"No," Damon said, moving his lips back to hers. "Stay," he whispered, their lips touching.

Elena smiled into his kiss as he captured her lips, taking his time to enjoy them before darting his tongue out, asking for entrance. Elena allowed it, humming her approval as he rolled them over, keeping Elena's torso flush with his as he lay on his back. She lazily pulled back from the kiss. "Are you sure?"

"Mm-hm," he said. "You're safer here." He thought for a moment. What was something a girl in her position would want to hear? It had been so long since he cared. Um - pretended to care. Right. "I want you to stay. I'll sleep better knowing you're in my arms." Jackpot. She melted before his very eyes, curling her body around his. He felt very smug at the moment; not once did she protest on the grounds that Stefan could find them out, and quite easily. She didn't even argue. He was a genius, a relationship god. He looked down at her, head burrowed in his neck, brown hair flowing across his chest. Huh; turns out his false words of encouragement were true. He _did_ prefer her sleeping in his arms. He absentmindedly ran his fingers up and down her spine as her breathing slowed. She was drifting off. She shivered once, tightening her grip on him. Damon searched for the covers, pulling them up and around them both, making sure she was tucked in. She murmured something that he couldn't hear, likely some sort of thanks. Damon watched as she fell asleep, a peaceful look on her face. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and turned off the bedside lamp, glad no one was there to witness his totally whipped behavior. He debated how to handle things in the morning. Should he let Stefan find them out, or should he keep this secret until Elena officially made up her mind in his favor? He wasn't sure which Stefan would be greeting them in the morning. He hadn't had any of the human stuff for ages, and it might produce some pretty serious changes in his personality. Damon glanced down at Elena, feeling strangely possessive. He had already made up his mind that Elena would be his, and he'd be damned if anything - or anybody - was going to stop him now…

* * *

**_Author's note: So what do we think? Naturally I twisted the events a bit. Think of it as a parallel universe, a la Fringe. (Also a fantastic show.) Now that Elena realizes that her feelings for Damon aren't going away, is she going to make a choice? And Damon's plan seems to be working - but how long before he realizes that his feelings are totally and completely real? And (spoiler alert!) what happens when they all wake up and Stefan is bat-shit crazy over human blood? (You knew I was totally going to keep that plot_****_ point.) Send me your love and your best guesses. Thanks for reading and reviewing!_**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Thanks again for the amazing reviews! Some make me laugh out loud, some make me really proud that this randomness that spills out of my mind entertains you all. *Note: Editorial mistake fixed. Thanks to those who noticed!**_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose. He had forgotten what it was like - the burning thirst. Right now, there was nothing he craved more in the universe than one single, solitary drop of human blood. And he knew that, given the chance, Damon would make the most of his burgeoning addiction. Oh sure, he saved him from torture and certain death by the hands of the vengeful vampires, but Damon was Damon. He could always count on that. Elena was the one who would be able to help him focus, keep him on the right path. He flipped open his phone and typed out a brief text, waiting for her response. His ears pricked when he heard the telltale beep and momentary vibration signaling an awaiting text. He followed the sound to the living room, noting that her purse was tossed haphazardly at the end of the couch.

He thought back to last night; the last thing he remembered was Elena tucking him into bed. He woke up alone, so he assumed she went home. He was wrong. His next thoughts went immediately to Damon. He wasn't altogether sure of Damon's intentions. He was maddeningly unclear when speaking of his feelings for Elena. He maintained that they were simply friends, but he flirted and teased brazenly. The only thing was that Stefan could not tell whether Damon was doing it to piss him off, or if he would ever seriously pursue Elena. But he would be damned if he let him try. He headed straight for Damon's bedroom.

* * *

Elena moaned into Damon's kiss. She couldn't help herself. She knew it was a slippery slope and she was a horrible person for sleeping with him while her boyfriend lay healing in the next room, but it was impossible to deny it any longer. This was really happening. _They _were really happening. And this hot shower sex was _really_ happening.

She gasped for breath as Damon dragged his lips down her throat, trapping her between the slick tile of the shower wall and his body. She closed her eyes as he continued to thrust into her, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders while he held her easily with one arm, the other bracing against the wall. This morning, all it took was a good morning kiss and a few whispered sighs and she allowed him to carry her naked from his bed to the shower. She supposed she could tell herself that it was all Damon, that he was pressuring her and tempting her, or worse, compelling her, but she knew damn well that she wanted this just as badly as he did. And she was enjoying everything he was doing to her. And she was _so_ close…

"Come with me," she whispered in his ear before nipping at his earlobe.

Damon growled and sped up his thrusts. There was nothing, _nothing_ sexier than Elena in that moment. The moment she began to pulse around him, he crashed his lips to hers and emptied himself inside her, staying inside her as she rode out her orgasm. He broke the kiss, and when Elena finally opened her eyes and slid her legs down, he took a moment to observe her, droplets of water on her eyelashes, breasts heaving. Such a mixture of beauty and heat.

Elena stared right back. Why had she resisted so long? There he was, with the clearest eyes she'd ever seen and hair that was adorably wet and sticking out in all directions, and he was gazing at _her_. Like _she _was the beautiful one, not him, standing there with steam swirling around him like a dream. It almost unnerved her, like if he looked at her long enough he might find a flaw and be gone in a flash. She was relieved when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a kiss, one that was not as sexually charged as their previous kisses this morning. This one was different; more casual; like he might make a habit of kissing her like that.

Then all of a sudden he stilled his movements. He pulled away and listened before giving her a quick peck. "Someone's stirring, and as much as I'd like to continue this, it's probably not the way we want him to find out about us, right?" He didn't give her a chance to answer as he winked and disappeared, presumably back to his room to dress and make his room look and seem less morning-after-ish.

Elena stood there for a moment processing what he just said. Then she _realized_ what he said. Us. Stefan finding out about us. A slow smile spread across her face. She didn't know how or when this unspoken mutual decision was reached, but something shifted last night. It wasn't the first time they'd been… physical… since she had officially started dating Stefan again, but all those times she saw as mistakes, slip-ups, falling back into bad habits. This was different. This time, she wasn't going to deny her feelings, and she somehow accepted his feelings as real. She was excited and scared at the same time. She resisted this whole thing because she didn't want to be Katherine to either of them, but as time passed she realized that neither brother saw her like that. Now she just had to make sure that she didn't behave like Katherine. She wouldn't keep both brothers dangling, promising herself to each but unwilling to make a choice between them. She knew herself and her feelings enough to realize that while she had loved Stefan, she wasn't in love with him. In the mother of all twists, she found herself in the middle of falling for Damon. She wasn't sure she could trust him completely, but that's what made it exciting.

She shook herself out of her reverie and finished her shower alone. She turned off the water and peeked out of the shower, realizing that she had entered the room without a stitch of clothing and was likely trapped. Stefan could be outside the door this very minute. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her sweatpants and hoodie on the towel rack. She rolled her eyes when she realized that he failed to provide undergarments. God knows where he stashed those. And where was her tank top? She suddenly blushed when she remembered him ripping off her bra and top last night. Oh yeah. Upon reflection, she was pretty glad that she at least had the clothes she got. She dried off in a hurry and slipped them on, not waiting to dry her hair. She threw it up in a haphazard bun and took a deep breath before exiting the bathroom. As she suspected, Stefan was standing in the doorway, arms crossed and looking irritated by a smug Damon.

"See? There she is, just like I told you," Damon said. "Elena, dear, would you back me up here? As much as I'd love to tell my little brother that you were dying to get naked for me, could you please tell him that I was being a gentleman for once and letting you take a shower?"

Elena rolled her eyes and played along. "Yes, I just took a shower. Good grief." She conveniently left out who shared that shower with her. "How are you feeling?"

Stefan shrugged. "I'll be fine." He noted the concern on Elena's face. "I'm fine," he amended.

"Are you sure? I mean, are you sure you should be up and about?" Regardless of her newly discovered feelings for Damon, she still worried about Stefan. He looked… well, different. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was different about him.

"Yeah, I just…" He couldn't really describe the feelings he was having. It was like fire coursing through his veins. He didn't want to scare Elena, but he wasn't entirely sure she was safe there. He needed to be away from her for a bit while he got himself under control. He felt his face fighting to change. "How about I meet you at that dance practice this afternoon? I think I'm going to… rest awhile."

"Ok," she said. That was her cue. "Ok, um, well I'll see you guys later, ok?" She sidled past them and exited, squeezing Stefan's arm supportively as she passed him. He continued to look daggers at Damon even after he heard the front door close and her engine start up.

"What?" Damon asked innocently.

Stefan just shook his head. He didn't have the energy to deal with both Damon _and_ his hunger. He turned on a heel and left the room, leaving Damon to chuckle to himself.

* * *

Elena paced the floor of the dance studio. Where was Stefan? He knew they were supposed to meet at 3:00, and he was usually early. Her phone started ringing and she pulled it from her pocket, answering it quickly and shooting an apologetic look to the instructor and the other Miss Mystic Falls couples. "Damon? What is it?"

_" I think we might have a slight problem."_

"What?"

_"Stefan spent the morning doing God knows how many pushups and ran around the yard like he was practicing for the Special Olympics. He was making me dizzy, and frankly, tired just watching him so I left him alone. I heard him leave about ten minutes ago and I went to fix a drink."_

Elena ignored the horribly offensive Special Olympics crack and focused on the truly scary part of what he said. What exactly did he mean by drink?

Damon read her mind. _"Not the good stuff I keep in the fridge,"_ he said dryly, referencing his stash of blood. _"The kind that dulls the senses. The liquor cabinet is one bottle down. I just thought you'd want to know since he should be arriving at any minute."_

Elena panicked. "What do we do? What should I do right now?"

_"Don't worry. I'm keeping an eye on him, just far enough away so he doesn't notice. You have to understand what it's like for us. And Stefan's a rare case. It's unnatural for our kind to go so long without human blood. It's like if you spent your entire life just eating communion wafers and all of a sudden someone gave you a cheeseburger. It's a shock to the system. Or here's a better analogy for you: say you had a chemical imbalance or something, but you've been taking a pill all your life to control it and one day someone takes away your pills. That's what it's like."_

"So you're saying it's like he has a chemical imbalance?" Elena asked dubiously.

_"I'm saying it's like he's crazy. It changes your personality. And it's been a long time since Stefan's lost control. If he lets himself feed on a human again… let's just say he won't be like the Stefan you know."_

"Oh." Elena wasn't sure what to say to that, but she was getting kind of scared.

_"Don't worry,"_ Damon said again. _"I'm watching."_

Elena supposed that might sound creepy to anyone else, but she was relieved to hear it. She turned with everyone else when the door to the studio opened and Stefan sauntered in.

* * *

Damon wasn't kidding; Stefan was definitely acting weird. Not weird in a bad way, she decided, but just… off. He wasn't taking the dance very seriously and stumbled a few times, something that was quite unusual for someone with his superhuman reflexes. She exchanged a look with Caroline at the end of the rehearsal but just shrugged.

"That was fun," Stefan said.

"Yeah," Elena said, trying to smile naturally. "You don't seem yourself - is everything ok?"

"I'm fine," he said, waving her comment away.

"Ok. Well maybe you should get some more rest before the party tonight," she said, still very concerned. There were so many events leading up to the Founders Day Celebration, and as a founding family member and Miss Mystic Falls contender she was expected to be at all of them. She just wasn't sure if Stefan was up to it. How would he fare in a crowded room with dozens of humans?

Stefan blinked. "Sure. Yeah, um, how about I meet you there, ok?" He tried to focus through his alcohol-induced haze. He hoped it would have had more of an effect on him, but so far it wasn't nearly distracting enough. He tried to sweat it out, expending all his energy and focus on exercise. When that didn't work, he turned to alcohol as a quick fix before having to be near people again. It helped dull the senses, but it didn't get rid of the cravings. He needed to try something different, something else to normalize.

He found that he could drive home without giving it much thought. He was parked and out of the car before he knew it, searching the nearby woods for an animal. He found a rabbit. It did nothing for him. He abhorred the taste and sensed something lacking. He went into the kitchen and sat down, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. He looked over at the sink and there was a used glass sitting there, half-filled with soapy water. He got up without realizing it and was suddenly standing in front of the sink, staring at the glass. It had traces of red swirling around the bottom. Damon must have left it there. He reached out a hand but stopped when he heard a voice behind him.

"Whatcha doin', little brother?"

He whipped around. "Nothing."

"Huh. Didn't look like nothing," Damon said, leaning against the doorway, arms folded casually and eyes regarding him coolly.

"It was nothing," Stefan said with an air of finality.

"I think you need some rest. Why don't you go to your room," Damon said, gesturing with his head. It was more a command than a suggestion.

"I'm not five years old, Damon."

"No, you're, what, 162, 163? One loses count after all these years. Now be a good boy and step away from the blood."

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "I don't need you telling me what to do."

"Au contraire, mon frère. I think that's exactly what you need. See, if you go all bat-shit crazy on me right now, that's going to screw things up for both of us, so do me a favor and lay off the sauce, will ya?"

"I haven't, as you've so eloquently put it, hit 'the sauce,' alright? I'm fine," Stefan insisted.

"You are so not fine."

"I'm fine!"

"Look, whatever, just stay out of the fridge, ok? I'm not quite ready to starve just so you won't be tempted to turn back into the asshat that made us turn into our current undead selves." He watched as his target hit the mark. He could practically see the flashback in Stefan's mind, remembering the day that he all but forced Damon to feed so they could live their eternally damned life. It did the trick. Stefan stormed past him and went to his room, slamming the door behind him.

"That's a good little boy," Damon said to himself.

* * *

Elena was beyond relieved when she saw the Salvatore brothers enter the room. The party was in full swing; all of Mystic Falls finest dressed up to the nines, enjoying cocktails and society chit-chat. She was secretly thrilled to see them dressed for the occasion in their evening wear, and couldn't help but admire how handsome they both looked. But when Damon's eyes met hers… she blushed at the appreciative look he gave her, his eyes sweeping up and down her dress, a smirk forming on his face. She had a pretty good guess what was going on in his mind, and she was sure he was calculating every possible way of getting her out of that dress. She shook her head and grinned at him, then checked out Stefan. He seemed much better - more in control. She returned her focus to Jenna, who was still speaking to her.

"Look, Elena, you're going to have to deal with it eventually. I just want you to know I'm here to help if you have any questions," Jenna said.

"I just don't know if I want to tell Jeremy I'm adopted yet," Elena said, shrugging uncomfortably.

Damon's ears pricked across the room. What was this about being adopted? He stole a glance at Stefan, who seemed unfazed by the conversation happening between the women.

"Well I know it's kind of weird now. I mean, who knew that when I told you her name was Isobel that it was Alaric's Isobel? Believe me, this is plenty weird for me too. A little too incestuous for my part," Jenna said.

Elena nodded in agreement. She looked up and saw that Stefan and Damon had joined them. And so had an unwelcome surprise visitor.

"What's all this incestuous business? Are we reminiscing again?"

Jenna turned and gave the newcomer an icy smile. "John. Great. Just what this party needs, another slimy council member."

"I'm wounded," Uncle John said, mock-clutching his heart. "I mean, you sleep with your brother's fiancée's sister _one_ time and you're forever labeled-"

"Hello, Uncle John," Elena said, matching Jenna's faux enthusiasm. "What brings you back to town?"

"Well I heard through the grapevine that dear Jenna here was planning on selling my brother's office, and I couldn't have that. But enough with the dry business talk. Introduce me to your friends," he said, turning his attention to Stefan and Damon.

Elena inhaled deeply, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. Uncle John's presence always made them tense. "This is my uncle, Johnathan Gilbert. Uncle John, this is Stefan and Damon Salvatore."

John gestured to their rings. "How sweet. How long have you two been together?"

Jenna snorted into her drink.

Damon gave him a thin smile, his lips pressed together tightly. "Brothers, actually. So about seventeen years."

John inclined his head. "Touché."

Stefan looked down at John's hand. "That's quite an impressive ring you have yourself."

John twisted it around his finger. "Family heirloom."

"I see," Stefan said, regarding him carefully.

"So, Damon, I hear you're one of the newly indispensible members of the council. Would you like to join us? We're just having a little discussion in the next room."

"Of course," Damon said in a neutral tone. "Ladies," he said, bowing slightly before walking away with John. He cast a glance over his shoulder at Elena, who shrugged in return. She never had any idea what John was up to.

"So it seems you and I have a mutual friend, Mr. Salvatore," John said in a low tone as they made their way through the crowd.

"Oh really? And who is that?" Damon asked.

"A darling girl. We go way back. Dated a bit in high school before she went off to Duke. Before you turned her."

Alarm bells went off in Damon's head. "You don't say?"

"The name 'Isobel' ring any… well… bells?" John said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Vaguely," Damon lied.

"Hmm. Well, we'll have to catch up later. I've just been telling everyone about the appalling turn of events around here."

"Have you now," Damon said.

"Oh, don't worry, your little secret about releasing all the vampires from the tomb is safe with me," John said conspiratorially, patting Damon on the arm. Damon looked down at his hand until he retracted it. "But they were concerned about all the missing person reports and the blood stolen from the local blood bank this afternoon."

Damon was speechless. Just what was this man up to, and what did he want with him? "And you're sharing this with me because…"

"Look, I know exactly who and what you are. And I think you now have a pretty good idea of who and what I am too."

Damon looked at him. He had a ring like Alaric's, but that was explained by the connection to Isobel. He knew he was a Gilbert and a member of the council, but there were still unanswered questions. "I do. But what I want to know is what do you want?"

"Well I know what you want. Katherine. And I can get her for you. If you get something for me, that is."

Damon raised an eyebrow. So he knew about Katherine too. Interesting. "And what is that?"

"One of the vampires from the tomb stole something from the original Johnathan Gilbert. One of his inventions. And I want it back. You get it for me, I get Katherine for you."

"I see." He had no intention of telling John that he didn't want Katherine back. He needed to know more first. "So who am I looking for?"

"According to my research, her name was Pearl."

Understanding dawned on him. Damon smiled innocently. "So you don't know this Pearl."

"No, that's why I need you."

"But you can get Katherine for me. Because you know her and know where she is."

"Yes."

Damon chuckled. "Well, Uncle John, I hate to tell you this, really, I do, but you're full of shit."

John had the decency to look mildly shocked.

Damon continued. "See, if you really knew Katherine, you'd know that Pearl was her best friend. Now, arguably the word 'was' is probably the most appropriate since for all we can tell she left Pearl there to rot and hasn't tried to find her since. If it's somehow common knowledge that the tomb is empty, word would have reached Katherine. But she's not here, is she? So it looks like you're out of luck." He smiled and waved at the council members, grabbing two flute of champagne off a passing tray. "Cheers," he said, clinking glasses with a now-angry John. He downed his drink and walked away.

* * *

"Why are you telling me this?" Alaric said, looking tired as Damon explained what just happened.

"Because I figured you should be in the loop on this one. You know, now that we no longer want to kill each other after kicking some major vampire butt together."

Alaric rolled his eyes. "Don't count on it. I don't know if that was technically a bonding experience."

"Whatever. Look, how much do you know about John Gilbert?"

Alaric shrugged. "Not much. Mostly just what you've told me. Though it's kind of interesting that he said he dated Isobel casually in high school. She said she only had one major boyfriend before me, and I assumed it was her high school boyfriend because I was pretty sure she hadn't dated anyone at Duke."

Damon wasn't sure if he should share the thought that was running through his mind right now. But apparently he didn't have to; Alaric made the connection all on his own.

"Oh, God… that means that John's probably…"

Damon nodded. "Elena's father. Yup."

"Wow. Poor kid. A vampire for a mother and an asshole for a dad. Do you think she knows?"

Damon shook his head. "Doubt it. If he's kept it a secret this long, he has no reason to reveal it now."

Alaric sighed. "You know, the more I find out, the more I wish I had never asked. At this point, I just want to leave the past in the past. Isobel is what she is, and she made her choices a long time ago. I need to accept that and move on." He regarded Damon. "You should do the same, you know."

"What are you talking about?"

"Katherine."

Damon waved his comment away. "Please. That dream died the minute I found out the bitch wasn't in the tomb. I've… moved on."

Alaric raised an eyebrow. "I was wondering about that. Be careful with her, ok? She's had a lot to deal with this year."

Damon looked at him but didn't answer.

Alaric gave him a hard look. "I mean it, Damon. Don't turn her. She doesn't deserve this life. She's so young, she hasn't lived her life yet."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Damon said. "But if I did, I would reassure you… I have no intention of ending her life. Quite the opposite."

Alaric still looked wary.

"I mean it. I'm not going to let anything happen to her, I swear." They both looked over at Elena, laughing easily with her friends. Damon stared at her with a burning intensity. He wanted her. And he knew that she wanted him. It was time to take that leap. He decided right then and there that they would tell Stefan tonight. Sneaking around wasn't as fun anymore; it suddenly didn't seem like enough. He wanted to be free to be with her whenever and wherever he wanted.

Alaric watched as several different emotions flashed through Damon's eyes. Well, son of a bitch. Maybe he really was in love. He took a drink and regarded him. "You know, I never figured you for a-" He stopped when a crash came from across the room. Two of the waiters bumped into each other and their trays came crashing down. They looked more embarrassed than anything, but one of the waiters had cut his hand on a broken glass. Damon immediately scanned the room for Stefan.

"I've got to go," he said tersely, speeding across the room while everyone was distracted by the commotion. He got there just as Elena was pulling on Stefan's arm, trying to restrain him from going over to the waiter. His face started to change. "Come on, we've got to get him out of here," Damon said.

While others were rushing to attend to the waiters, the three of them went out to the patio where they were alone.

"Just one taste," Stefan said, pulling against Damon's hold.

"Uh uh, no way. You are not blowing our cover in front of the whole damn town," Damon said.

"Stefan, look at me," Elena said.

He ignored her, his face changing.

"Look at me!" she said, grabbing his face between her hands. She forced him to look at her. "Now breathe. Come on, breathe. Remember who you are. You're fine. You don't need this. You're fine."

At first it didn't look like it was working. Damon was thinking of ways he could temporarily incapacitate Stefan. But then he noticed Stefan slacking in his arms. He saw the look that Stefan and Elena were sharing.

"You're fine," she repeated, kissing him, making his face change back to normal.

Damon held his breath. He was unaccustomed to feelings in general, but he was definitely not used to feeling this weird mix of jealousy and hurt pride. Technically, he shouldn't feel either. After all, Elena _was_ Stefan's girlfriend. But that was a label he was hoping to change tonight. He watched as Elena talked Stefan down from his hunger and realized that they couldn't do it tonight. He didn't want to risk Stefan acting out.

"You should take him home," Elena said, finally addressing Damon.

"Yeah, sure. Ok." He took Stefan by the arm. "Say goodnight, Gracie."

Elena crossed her arms, suddenly cold. The adrenaline slowly faded and she was left with a little fear. "I'll come over tomorrow to check on you, ok?" she said to Stefan.

"Thanks," he mumbled. He was equally embarrassed and appalled by his lack of self control. He was turning into the monster he always saw himself as.

"Are you going to be alright?" Damon asked Elena.

"I'm fine," she said. "You guys go. I'm going back inside; I'm sure Jenna's wondering where I am. Probably needs rescuing from Uncle John."

"Don't we all," Damon said under his breath. "Goodnight, Elena."

"Bye," she said, watching them retreat into the night. She sighed. Things were so complicated. Stefan was a mess, and she didn't know how she could help him, but she did know that breaking up with him would be impossible right now. And then there was Damon; she finally knew she wanted to be with him, but how in the world were they going to make it work? What was she going to do? She decided to take it one step at a time. And that first step was going back into the party, putting on a brave face, and putting everything else on hold until tomorrow. As Caroline was fond of quoting: after all, tomorrow is another day...

* * *

_**Author's note: Just when it looked like our favorite couple could finally be together... and what will happen when Stefan really does lose it? Or when Uncle John starts to meddle? Or when a long-lost mother arrives... You know what to do. ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: You lucky readers; I finished this chapter in two sittings so you get an early present this week. *Note: fixed another editorial mistake. That's what happens when I write too fast... y'all enjoy!**_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

_Dear Diary,_

_The hunger is stronger than it ever was. I don't know how much longer I can take it. But the pain is nothing compared to the fear. I'm so afraid that I might hurt Elena, yet she's the only one keeping me from surrendering to this desire. Just the other day, she -_

"Salvatore! Get your ass over here. Practice starts _now_."

Stefan looked up from his journal, tucking it into his backpack before bounding off the bleachers and joining his teammates on the football field.

"Alright boys, five laps. Go," the coach ordered.

The team fell into line and started jogging along the edge of the field. Stefan didn't speak to anyone, ignoring Matt's questioning glances. He knew Matt could tell something was off, but he really didn't feel like talking about it. It was all he could do not to lose control being surrounded by humans all day long. He silently observed the group of friends keeping a few paces ahead of him as they joked and goofed off. One boy playfully pushed another, causing him to trip on his own shoelaces and tumble to the ground.

"Dude, I'm sorry," the boy said, laughter in his voice, rendering his apology slightly insincere.

"Oh, you're gonna get it," the fallen boy said, dusting himself off and rejoining the team, elbowing his friend as they began a true race, each trying to lead the team. What no one else noticed was that he had scraped his knee when he went down. The blood was not visible beneath his jogging pants, but the minute his skin tore, Stefan's nose twitched. He could smell the blood welling to the surface.

"Coach," Stefan croaked, falling out of line. He could tell how raspy his voice was, and he knew that if he didn't get out of there fast, he was going to attack his teammate. "I think I'm gonna hurl, I've probably caught my brother's stomach flu," he lied.

The coach wrinkled his nose. "Alright, kid. I don't need you here breathing on my team getting everyone else sick. Go home."

"Thanks," Stefan said, clasping a hand over his mouth as he ran to get his backpack before disappearing from the field, running to his car in a flash. He flung open his car door and sat inside, slamming the door shut. He gripped the steering wheel and focused on his breathing, staring at the motionless speedometer. When he cleared his head enough to see straight, he drove home.

Once home, Stefan paced the house, gripping his hair in frustration. Maybe he just needed a taste. If he could safely give in to his hunger, maybe his body would be satisfied and he could resume his normal diet. He went to the refrigerator, peering inside and contemplating his options. He reached inside and grabbed a pint of blood. He set it on the counter, staring at it, not sure if he should follow through. As if in a trance, he found himself getting a glass out of the cabinet and pouring. He lifted the cup to his lips, breathing in the smell. It was not as pungent as the fresh, warm blood he just ran away from, but it was still tantalizing. He took a sip, intending to start small. Before he knew it, the glass was empty, and he was feeling a surge of power he hadn't felt in a long, long time.

* * *

Damon knew something was up when he got home and heard music blaring from Stefan's room. He checked his watch; Stefan was supposed to be at football practice. Maybe it was cancelled. He headed to Stefan's room and opened the door without invitation.

"Damon! Brother! What's up, my man?" Stefan said, clapping him on the shoulder before returning to his closet.

"Stefan," Damon said slowly, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes. "I'm curious. When did you decide to go all Project Runway on us, hm?" He watched as Stefan preened and primped in front of the mirror, flipping up his shirt collar and posing, making faces at himself before returning to the closet, flipping through his clothes.

"Gotta look good for the big night!" Stefan said, as if that explained his strange mood and actions.

"Uh huh. And what big night are you referring to?"

"The Miss Mystic Falls Competition. I'm Elena's escort, and she's really gorgeous, you know?"

"I'm aware," Damon said dryly. "So you're in a happy place? No longer a tortured soul, whining over your pathetic diet problems?"

"Tonight I have no diet problems. Tonight my only problem is what to wear," Stefan said, ignoring the real question.

"I see. Well, I'll leave you to it," Damon said, closing the door and rolling his eyes as Stefan whipped his head around for an over-the-shoulder look at the mirror.

He went straight to the kitchen to check the refrigerator. Empty, just as he suspected. The gluttonous bastard. He sped away until he was out of aural range, pulling out his phone. "Yeah, Rick? We got a problem."

* * *

Elena adjusted her dress, making sure there were no wrinkles.

"I don't know why you're worrying so much. You look great, and you're probably going to win anyway," Caroline said, dusting her cheeks with her blush brush.

Elena looked at her from across the small room where all the Miss Mystic Falls contestants were getting ready for the big night. "Not necessarily. You're way more qualified. Plus, what if I fall on my ass during the dance? I'm pretty sure Stefan wasn't concentrating in rehearsal, and I just have this horrible vision of stepping on his toes or accidentally letting our hands touch during the first part."

"You'll be fine," Caroline reassured her. She bit her lip before continuing. "So can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Elena said, giving up on the mirror. She needed to focus on something else to calm her nerves.

"What's up with you and Bonnie? You guys have hardly talked since she came back, and I see the weird looks you've been sharing."

Elena frowned. She hadn't told anyone about it, but she confronted Bonnie when she first sensed this attitude change. Bonnie let her know that she couldn't forgive the Salvatore brothers for what happened to her grandmother, and rather than making Elena choose between them, she was keeping her distance. But Elena couldn't exactly tell Caroline all that. "I think she's still sad about Grams."

"Well I know that, but you would think she'd want all her friends to be around her now. She's fine with me," Caroline said, still perplexed.

Elena shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe…" Maybe should could tell a half-truth. "I'm pretty sure she doesn't like Stefan or Damon."

Caroline snorted. "Well, no one likes Damon."

"I'm hurt!" Damon said, appearing in the doorway. "Hello ladies," he said as two of the contestants shyly passed him as the exited the room. He smirked, prompting eye rolls from both Caroline and Elena.

"Is… is everything alright?" Elena asked, trying not to sound too worried.

Damon knew exactly what she meant, but didn't want to alarm her. "It will be. Stefan's feeling a little… strange after drinking something from the back of the refrigerator. I'm going to put him on a detox starting tonight."

Elena gasped, but tried not to overreact for Caroline's sake. "Oh - ok. Um… will he be ok tonight?" She was trying to wrap her mind around the fact that he caved and drank human blood again. What did this mean? What was he going to be like?

"I'm sure he'll be fine for several hours yet," he said, walking toward her. "But don't worry. I'll go find him downstairs and make sure he's ready."

Caroline watched the entire exchange with one eyebrow raised. What was that all about?

"Ok," Elena said, looking down at her hands and fidgeting.

"Hey," Damon said, reaching out an index finger and tipping up her chin so she was looking into his eyes. "You look beautiful." He slid an arm around her waist and drew her close, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. Elena's eyes fluttered shut. "Knock 'em dead," he whispered. He stepped back and cleared his throat, nodding curtly in Caroline's direction. "Ladies," he said, backing out of the room, hands in his pockets. He turned and headed down the stairs.

"Ok, what just happened here?" Caroline asked, hands on her hips.

"Nothing," Elena said, rubbing her arms. She was worried about Stefan but had to trust that Damon knew what was best. She wondered what he meant about the "detox." She shook her head and cleared her mind. She needed to focus on one thing at a time, and right now they were calling the names of all the contestants. She and Caroline fell into line at the top of the staircase.

"That wasn't nothing," Caroline whispered. "Is Damon into you?"

"What are you talking about? He knows I'm with Stefan," Elena replied, dodging the question.

Caroline put her hands on her hips. "Elena, you didn't answer my question. Is there something else going on here?"

"He's just being nice," Elena whispered back. "He _is_ capable of that, you know."

"Yeah right," she hissed. "Just be careful with him, ok? I saw the way he was looking at you. He is _definitely_ into you."

Elena didn't respond. Secretly, she was glowing. At least this wasn't in her imagination; if even Caroline - who could be slightly self-absorbed and therefore not the most observant person in the world - could notice that Damon was showing emotion, it _had_ to be real.

Caroline took her silence as a challenge. "I'm not kidding, Elena! That wasn't his usual asinine behavior. I've seen him tease you and countless others with his comments and gestures that border on harassment, but that was not the look of a guy who wanted to get in your pants. That was the look of a guy who wanted to get in your heart. All I'm saying is be careful. I don't trust him."

"I do," Elena whispered, surprising herself. She didn't realize she trusted him until that very moment.

"Well I just hope I don't have to say 'I told you so' anytime in the near future," Caroline replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She pasted a bright smile on her face as they called her name, descending the staircase with grace and ease.

"And finally, we have Elena Gilbert, escorted by Stefan Salvatore."

Elena took a deep breath and stepped out, smiling shyly at the crowd below. She focused all her energy on not tripping and falling down the staircase. She was surprised to see not Stefan, but Damon waiting for her at the bottom. She smiled questioningly at him as he held out his hand. She took it and spoke under her breath, keeping her face in a smile for everyone else to see.

"Where's Stefan?"

Damon leaned his head close as they walked. "I don't know," he whispered back. "He's not in the building. As soon as we're done, I'll look for him." He stepped away and took his position across from her for the traditional dance.

Elena wondered how the heck he would know how the dance went. Then she realized that since it was tradition, he probably remembered it from the first time. She maintained eye contact as she had been instructed by the dance teacher, trying not to look down at her feet. She found it was easy as Damon was a natural lead; she could practically feel the electricity crackling in the air between their hands. When he pulled her close for the waltzing portion, he had an enigmatic smile on his face. She couldn't help but smile back.

Damon was smiling for two reasons. First, he was actually enjoying himself. Being able to parade Elena around in front of the whole town, well, he liked that, and he was surprised at how graceful she was despite her protestations of awkwardness. And any excuse for being close to her was okay in his book. The second reason was the reaction they were getting from the crowd. Damon could hear them as they talked amongst themselves, thinking they were having private conversations. With his acute hearing, he was able to hear the comments regarding all the contestants, but he and Elena were a hot topic. Among the older generations, they were "sweet." They made an attractive couple. According to most of the middle aged women, Elena was a lucky woman. Most of them wanted to do dirty, dirty things to Damon. But the general consensus among all demographics was that they looked like the perfect picture of young love. Damon smirked. Love. What did they know?

But as he danced with Elena and noticed how her eyes sparkled as he twirled her across the floor, he reconsidered. Was that what this was? Impossible. He had vowed never to love again after Katherine broke his heart. And he thought that Elena was in love with his brother, despite her… involvement with him. But maybe… just maybe…

The dance ended before he made up his mind. He bowed and Elena curtseyed.

* * *

Elena scanned the crowd for Stefan and Damon after the competition, but didn't see either brother. Instead, her eyes met Bonnie's. She took a deep breath and approached her. "Hi, Bonnie."

"Hey. You looked really pretty up there," Bonnie said, attempting polite conversation.

"Thanks," Elena said uncomfortably. "I was just glad I didn't trip over my dress." They both looked over at Caroline, chatting excitedly now that she was officially crowned Miss Mystic Falls. Elena turned back to Bonnie. "Look, I know things are… different now, but I still consider you my best friend, and as my best friend, I have something huge to ask you."

"What is it?" Bonnie asked warily.

"It's about Stefan. I know he's not your favorite person - quite the opposite, I know. But I'm worried about him. You know he was on a strict animal diet? Well the other day we were in trouble and he was dying and I made him feed off my wrist to get his strength back to save us. The short version is that now that he's had human blood for what I'm assuming is the first time in over a hundred years, I'm afraid he can't stop, and I'm scared he's going to do something impulsive."

Bonnie pressed her lips together. Elena knew how she felt about vampires.

Elena frowned and looked at the floor. "I know I have no right to ask this, but, would you help me look for him? I don't want him to hurt anyone. I know he wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose, and I'm sure you know that too, despite your history. But he's not himself right now and if he follows his instincts…" She shivered. "I just want to protect everyone."

Bonnie sighed and looked away. "I guess I get that. And I don't want anyone to get hurt either. But what do you want me to do about it?"

"We've got to find him and take him back to the house. I think Damon has a plan; he mentioned a 'detox,' whatever that means in vampire terms."

Bonnie shook her head. She didn't trust Damon one bit. But clearly Elena did, foolish girl. She agreed that Stefan needed to be stopped if he was in attack mode. "Let's go," she said simply. They grabbed jackets and hurried out the front door.

Bonnie took hold of Elena's arm. "Wait." She closed her eyes and reached her mind out, trying to find Stefan.

Damon showed up out of nowhere. "He's not in the immediate vicinity," he said to Elena. He glanced at Bonnie. "What's she doing?"

Elena shrugged. "Looking for Stefan."

"With her eyes closed?" Damon said, raising an eyebrow.

"Shh," Bonnie said. She couldn't concentrate with them yapping. Ahh… there he was. She opened her eyes and pointed a finger. "That way."

Damon and Elena accepted her word and followed her. As they started to descend into the woods, Alaric suddenly fell into step with them, carrying one of his vervain-loaded weapons.

Elena looked alarmed and was suspicious when Damon seemed to accept Alaric's presence as natural. Damon glanced down at her and realized an explanation was in order. "I called him earlier. We're staging a proper intervention."

Elena nodded, not trusting words right now. She felt so guilty. She felt like they were on a witch hunt, tracking Stefan like an animal. But she knew ultimately, all of this was her fault. If she hadn't made Stefan drink her blood, none of this would have happened. Then again, she'd probably be dead and so would he. Still, she felt responsible. Bonnie suddenly stopped, putting a finger to her lips. She looked intensely at Damon who flinched.

_You need to take me ahead of the others. You're the only one fast enough that he won't see coming, and I can incapacitate him long enough for Alaric to take him down._

Damon blinked, Bonnie's voice resonating in his head. He didn't know how she did that, and he sure as hell wasn't going to ask. He held up a finger to Alaric and Elena, gesturing for them to wait. He picked up Bonnie and disappeared, running in a straight line. Elena and Alaric exchanged a glance. They waited a beat and took off running after Damon and Bonnie.

* * *

They arrived to find a horrible scene. Stefan was crouched down, holding his head. Elena could only imagine that Bonnie was doing something to give him a massive headache. She looked past him and nearly retched. There was a girl lying there, blood dripping from her neck. She was still breathing, thank God, but she didn't look too good. Bonnie nodded at Alaric who walked up to Stefan. He pulled out a syringe from his weapon and jabbed it into Stefan, depressing it until all the liquid entered Stefan's body. Stefan slumped over, unconscious.

Elena wrapped her arms tightly around herself, suddenly very cold and still extremely nauseated.

"I'll take care of the girl. You take him on back to the house," Damon said. Alaric nodded and picked Stefan up, slinging him over his shoulder in a fireman's hold.

"This is as much as I can do for you," Bonnie said, backing away.

Elena nodded, swallowing thickly. "Thank you for…" She couldn't say it. "Thank you."

Bonnie smiled grimly and left.

"Come on," Alaric said gently. Elena looked up and started to follow him out of the woods. She glanced over her shoulder, watching as Damon spoke in low tones to the girl.

Alaric looked at Elena, who was still in shock. "Why don't you head home and change. You can meet us at the house. I got this."

"Are - are you sure?" Elena asked.

"Yeah; besides, I'm sure Jenna and Jeremy are looking for you."

"Ok," Elena said unsurely. She knew he was right, but she didn't want to leave. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

Elena gripped the bottom of her sweater, tugging it down in a nervous habit. She rang the doorbell and was surprised when Alaric opened the door to the Salvatore house.

"Hey, I got away as fast as I could. How is he?" she asked, walking past him and looking around.

"They're in the basement," Alaric said. Elena looked up in alarm. Why were they in the basement?

Alaric rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I gotta go… Damon can explain everything I'm sure. Call me if you need me. I mean that, ok?"

"Sure, thanks," Elena said. She watched him leave before heading straight for the stairs.

She arrived in the basement to find an oddly familiar scene with one major difference. Rather than Damon being locked away in misery, it was Stefan who was shot up with vervain, huddled in a corner. He seemed to have regained consciousness but wasn't quite coherent yet. Damon was regarding him from the other side of the door.

"Hey," Elena said softly, joining Damon at the door, peering inside at Stefan.

"Hey," Damon responded in kind. He noticed Elena's lower lip begin to tremble. He moved his hand to intertwine with hers.

"It's all my fault," she whispered, taking little comfort in the fact that Damon was holding her hand.

"No it's not. He owns his actions, just like I own mine," Damon said.

"But if I hadn't made him drink, none of this would have happened."

"Elena, you can't play the 'what if' game. There are too many 'what ifs' to consider. You'll just drive yourself crazy."

"I _should_ drive myself crazy. It's my fault he's in there, my fault we can't -" she stopped herself and pulled away, sliding her back down the wall and sitting down.

Damon glanced inside at Stefan, making sure he wasn't with it yet. He moved to sit beside Elena. "Your fault we can't what?"

"Nevermind," she said, wiping at her eyes.

Damon pursed his lips. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say here. "There there… everything will be fine," he said, awkwardly patting her knee.

She looked at him, annoyed. "How can you say that? This is the opposite of 'fine!' Everything's all wrong. It's not supposed to be like this."

Damon scratched his head. "Well our very existence is unnatural. So none of it is supposed to be like this. But these are the cards we're dealt, so we just have to accept it and make the most of it."

Elena sighed. "That's not what I meant. Just… forget it." She was suddenly very tired. "When will he be lucid again?"

"Hard to say," Damon said. "Are you staying?"

"I should. I want to be here when he…" She wasn't sure what to call it. "I want to be here."

"Ok. Well I can arrange that. Be right back." Damon left her there, studying the door. She glanced at her watch and stood back up to look through the window at Stefan. He moaned a little and rolled over, apparently falling asleep. She considered her situation. She felt responsible for him, and felt an undeniable need to nurse him back to health. She did love him, and she knew he had the potential to be so much more. If they could just get him back to normal then everything would be ok, and she wouldn't feel so horrible for having these feelings for Damon. She might even work up the courage to confess her feelings. Of course, she should probably confess them to Damon before she said anything to Stefan. But now was not the time for that. Speaking of time, it had been about fifteen minutes. Where was Damon?

Her question was answered almost immediately when she heard him shut the door upstairs. She looked up when he returned to the basement, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Wait a minute - that was her duffel bag!

"Jenna and Jeremy know you're staying. They're ok with it," he said in a tone that let Elena know he compelled them. At this point, she didn't care. She just wanted to stay.

"Why do you have my overnight bag?"

"Ah, well, I figured since you'd be staying with us you'd need some… personal articles. Jenna was more than happy to let me go through your room. I especially enjoyed your underwear drawer."

"Damon!" Elena shrieked. She grabbed the bag off his shoulder as he repressed a laugh. She was mortified to find that he packed a week's worth of her sluttiest underwear from the time that she and Caroline and Bonnie went to Victoria's Secret, daring each other to buy all manner of silky and lacy lingerie - oh God, half of these were thongs - as a form of secret teenage rebellion. She was slightly mollified when she found he packed some actual essentials from her bathroom, toothbrush and razors and such.

"Why don't you… go get settled. It's late, you should get some sleep. We'll deal with Stefan in the morning. He's going to be out of it for another twelve hours anyway," Damon said.

"Ok. Um… good night," she said awkwardly, heading back up the stairs.

Damon watched her leave before returning his attention to Stefan. "Sleep well, little brother. I know I will." He turned off the lights and walked away.

* * *

Elena stood in the middle of the house, not sure what to do. She didn't feel right sleeping in Stefan's bed while he was locked away downstairs. She looked at the living room. The couch didn't seem like a viable option either. She thought about it for awhile. "Well, shit," she said out loud. She headed to Damon's bedroom. She couldn't deny that she needed the comfort right now, and she felt safe in his arms. She dropped her bag on the floor and changed quickly, brushing her teeth before crawling into bed. She heard Damon running the sink in the kitchen as she drifted off to sleep, comforted by the noise and his presence.

Damon pulled off his shirt as he headed to his room, shedding his clothes haphazardly and dropping them on the floor as he entered his room, shutting the door behind him. He paused when he saw Elena fast asleep in his bed. He smirked. Well well well. Despite her angst over St. Stefan, she still ended up in his bed. And this time it wasn't for anything sexual. He couldn't attribute it to hormones or being caught up in the moment or any other excuse. It appeared that Elena wanted to sleep with him… well, because she _wanted_ to sleep with him. He pulled on some pajama pants and slid into bed beside her, careful not to disturb her slumber. She mumbled in her sleep and shifted closer to him. He smiled softly and rolled over to spoon her from behind. He draped an arm across her midsection, lightly gripping her and holding her close. He kissed her ear, earning a soft moan from Elena as she unconsciously shifted to align herself closer to him. Damon let himself slowly relax into sleep, satisfied with the way the day turned out. All things considered, everything seemed to be working in his favor.

* * *

Alaric sat at the bar, thinking back on the day. It was weird how things changed in the blink of an eye. Stefan was now the dangerous one, and he had formed some sort of crazy camaraderie with Damon. He shook his head. His world was not making sense. At least he had officially given up on Isobel. It was kind of a relief, not having to worry about where she was and what she was doing and why and how she got there. He could focus his romantic endeavors on wooing Jenna Sommers. He pondered whether or not it would be weird to accept her invitation to Family Night this week. He deferred with an excuse about a potential parent-teacher conference, but the more he thought about it, the more it would be nice to spend time with the Gilberts, having a nice, normal evening. His daydream of such an evening died when he heard the one voice he never expected to hear again.

"Hello, Rick. It's been awhile..."

* * *

_**Author's note: Everyone together now: "Awwwwww." But things never stay this peaceful for long, do they? What happens when Stefan wakes up in the morning? How is our love triangle going to handle Stefan's detox? And what about Uncle John and his search for the mysterious device? Looks like he's got a partner now... As always, thanks for reading and reviewing.**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's Note: Wow, Chapter 20, who'd have thought? Thanks for sticking with me for over three months (and over 600 reviews - eek!). We've shared some fluffy goodness, a little bit of intrigue, and a whole lot of naughty, whether it be witty repartee or unabashed smut. And I got my first plagiarist… I guess that means I'm in the big leagues now! It also reinforces my decision to stay away from reading other fics in the TVD universe while I'm writing this story. I'm always afraid I'll somehow subconsciously steal an original plot device or one-liner. Anyway, you poor kids have had to wait weeks for an update, so let's start off with the good stuff, shall we?**_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Elena slowly joined the waking world as she felt a hand brush her hair away from her neck. She moaned appreciatively when she felt soft kisses drop on her neck and ear, and instinctively tightened her grip around the hand currently encircling her waist from behind. She could feel a slow smile start to spread across her face until her eyes flew open.

"Damon! Stop, he'll hear us," she whispered in a panic. Even in his altered state, Elena was convinced that Stefan could hear them from his cell in the basement.

"Not if we're _really_ quiet," Damon said, sliding a hand up the front of her shirt. "Shhh…" he whispered in her ear, cupping a breast.

Elena bit her lip, holding back the noise she was about to make. She didn't know how quiet she could be with his hands on her hot skin. He withdrew his hand from her shirt, prompting a momentary sigh of relief from Elena. It didn't last long. He slipped his hand downward, sliding along her abdomen until he reached his goal. Elena unconsciously shifted to allow him better access, sliding her top leg up and over his as he spooned her from behind. He dipped one finger inside her and smirked, noting that she was already so wet for him. He set a maddeningly slow pace, slowly adding one… two… three fingers, with an occasional thumb swipe across her clit. Elena huffed, unable to vocally show her appreciation for the tension he was building. She arched her back and pressed herself closer to his hand. When he brought her to the edge, she reached back and slid her hand behind his neck, pulling him closer as he pressed love bites on her neck. He didn't draw blood, nor did he allow her the orgasm he so teasingly built up to. He removed his hand right before she could plummet over the edge, leaving her gasping, mouth wide open in expectation and shock.

"You're evil," she groaned.

"That's old news. Now no talking, remember?" he said, rolling her onto her back and kissing her. Elena hungrily kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his bare torso and slightly pouting when he broke away from her lips to trail open-mouthed kisses down her throat… her collarbone… a lift of the shirt and he continued, spending extra time on her breasts. Impatiently, Elena pulled off her own shirt and threaded her fingers in his hair, gripping tightly in surprise when he playfully bit a nipple. He continued his path between her breasts, down the expanse of skin until he reached the drawstring to her pajama pants. Elena fisted the sheets at her side as he untied the strings with his teeth, tossing a wink up at her before hooking his thumbs around the material and pulling them down, taking her panties right along with them. Elena kicked off the pants in a hurry for Damon to get back up there, but he lingered at the foot of the bed, lifting her ankle and kissing a trail along the inside of her leg. Elena thought she might come from anticipation alone. He made his way up to her thighs, pushing them apart and sliding a finger inside her again. Elena squeezed her eyes shut. She knew what was coming next. She felt his hot breath on her sex, and was not disappointed when a hand separated her lips and started slow, deliberate circles on her clit. Every few licks he would alternate with a light sucking pressure. It took no more than thirty seconds for Elena's legs to shake as she had her first orgasm of the morning. She was panting silently, and biting her lip so hard to keep from screaming out that she felt the tangy taste of blood in her mouth. She barely noticed when Damon slid up her body, now fully naked. She opened her eyes to see him staring at her lip, a drop of blood visible from where she had bitten herself. It was her turn to smirk as she made a show of licking her lips, swiping up the drop of blood with her tongue.

She could feel a growl rumbling in his throat and raised an eyebrow, pressing a finger to her lips in a silent reminder that he too needed to keep quiet. He brushed her finger away and crashed his lips to hers, immediately sliding his tongue into her mouth, sweeping up any traces of blood. Elena smiled in satisfaction, knowing that at least she was able to tease him as he had teased her. Her smile faded as she felt him, hard against the soft curves of her body. She slid her hands down his back to grip his butt, again marveling at his physique and whether it was his eternal state or something he actively worked on. She slid a hand between them, lightly running along his length, earning a hiss from Damon. She positioned him at her entrance, taking control. The control only lasted momentarily. In a flash, he took both her hands, their fingers intertwining, and pinned them against the pillow on each side of her head as he slid his entire length inside her. Elena's mouth opened in a silent scream, her eyes meeting Damon's as he thrust into her, holding her hands firmly to the pillow. She arched her back, pressing her breasts to his chest in an attempt to get closer. He smiled wickedly as he pounded into her, noting that her breathing quickened as the sweat-slicked friction drove her closer to her second orgasm. He changed angles slightly and hit the spot that sent her mind spinning. Damon grunted and came with her, emptying himself in a few final forceful thrusts. He slowed to a standstill, the sweat beginning to cool between them. Elena opened her eyes, still gripping his hands tightly. She lifted her head off the pillow to kiss him, loving that as they kissed, Damon's thumbs ran over her knuckles. It was those intimate moments that gave her hope that she wasn't completely insane for letting herself get so close to him. She sighed as he rolled over, lying beside her and catching his breath. She shifted to lay on her side, propping up her head on her elbow to look at him. Even after all this time, she couldn't figure him out. She didn't know what they were to each other, nor did she know the extent of his feelings for her, or even his feelings about things in general. He was a mass of contradictions. He could be ruthless in one moment and then tender the next. He could act like he didn't give a damn whether or not Stefan lived or died, yet he continued to save him time after time. He could make her feel like the most special girl in the world, then behave as if he didn't care at all. But something in her knew that he cared for her. She just didn't know how much, or how deep his feelings ran.

Damon noticed Elena's eyes on him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said with a secret smile.

"Hm," he said, making a slightly disapproving face. Elena watched him, sure he was trying to decide whether or not to pursue a line of questioning. In the end, he decided against it. "Do you want breakfast?"

"Sure," she said.

"Alright then." Damon hopped out of bed and crossed the room, looking for his discarded pajama pants. He smiled to himself. He knew Elena was totally checking him out. "Enjoying the view?" he said dryly, turning around, catching her in the act. Elena blushed as her eyes inadvertently darted down to his hips. "Oh, I don't mind," he said, tossing aside the pants he just found. "So long as you return the favor," he said, peeling the covers off Elena to reveal her in all her glory. He crawled back onto the bed, hovering above her, noticing that her body was already responding to his proximity. "Breakfast can wait," he stated, more of a commandment than a question.

"Absolutely…"

* * *

Alaric stared out the window of the Mystic Grill. He was startled out of his reverie by the waitress. "I'm sorry?"

"Do you want a refill on your coffee?" she asked politely.

"Uh, yeah, thanks." He flashed a dim smile up at her before returning to his thoughts. He'd tell Elena tonight. Jenna invited him to Family Night; it was only fitting. He would have to steal a few minutes with Elena to let her know that not only has her mother returned to town, but she wants to meet with her. When Isobel showed up, it was hard to get over the initial shock. But then he realized that although she looked like his wife, the resemblance ended there. She was no longer the woman he fell in love with, the woman he shared his life with. She was cold and calculating, much like Damon. The bastard. He was still having a hard time accepting Damon for who he was when Damon was the one responsible for all the pain in his life. But as much as he hated to admit it, Isobel seemed to display even less emotion. She seemed more irritated than anything, inconvenienced by Alaric's inability to let her go. At least he saw streaks of humanity in Damon every so often. He could see it in the way that Damon took care of his brother, though he'd be quick to dismiss it if Alaric dared to mention anything resembling filial duty. And he could see it in the way that Damon looked at Elena. He wasn't entirely comfortable with that; if Damon really wanted Elena, Alaric was concerned that Elena might very well end up like Isobel, a cruel and heartless killing machine. At any rate, he needed to focus on the problem at hand. How could he set up a meeting between Isobel and Elena without risking Elena's emotional well-being… and possibly her life?

* * *

Elena trudged up the stairs after checking on Stefan. He seemed so distraught, and nothing she said seemed to make a difference. He was wallowing in self-loathing, and she couldn't convince him that what happened was just a slip-up, something that he could overcome if he tried. He just kept mumbling something about everything being his fault and how he deserved this. She gave up after a while and headed to the kitchen, glad to find there was some regular food in there. She ate a snack and was clearing her dishes when Damon showed up, still looking lazy in his pajama bottoms. She was about to fold the dish towel when he surprised her, taking her by the waist and dipping her, laying on a long, resounding kiss. She looked at him with wide eyes when he released her. "What was _that_ for?"

Damon shrugged. "Because I can." He scratched his chest and pulled a beer from the fridge, leaning against the counter as he popped the top.

Elena grinned and shook her head. Always full of surprises. She sighed as she tossed the dish towel on the counter, crossing her arms and giving him a stern look. "Aren't you going to ask how he is?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "And deprive you of an opportunity to practice your withering stare?"

"He needs you, you know. He can't get through this alone and we need to help him. You _could_ be nicer to him."

"I'm sure I could," he said evenly.

"But you won't," she stated, as if she dared him to elaborate.

Damon shrugged and downed the last of his beer, tossing the bottle in the trash. Elena pointedly picked it out of the trash and placed it in the recycling bin.

"Look, I know you guys have a love-hate relationship, and you've made it very clear it's more hate than love. But I can't understand that. Why is it that you still feel that way after all these years?"

Damon looked away. "You really don't want to know."

"Yes I do," she insisted.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Really? Even if it paints St. Stefan in a bad light? I don't want to knock him off your pedestal."

Elena frowned. "He's not on a pedestal. I have a completely realistic view of him, just like I have a realistic view of you."

"Well you don't know the whole story."

"So tell me!"

Damon sighed. He left the room without a word. Elena waited two beats before following him.

She found him on the sofa, flipping channels. She took the remote out of his hand and turned off the television. "Here's the thing. The only way Stefan is going to get through this is with our help. I don't know what he's going on about, all this guilt and remorse - he's not just talking about the girl we found. You're the only one who knows him completely, and we need to get in his head in order to help him. Don't you want to see him get better?"

Damon grit his teeth. "I suppose."

"Ok, then." She waited expectantly, sitting on the opposite side of the sofa and tucking her legs underneath her, ready for the story.

Damon ran a hand over his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just remember, you asked."

Elena nodded, not wanting to risk him changing his mind about telling her.

Damon allowed himself to think back to when he was young. When he was human. "Did Stefan ever tell you the story about how we were turned?"

"Not exactly. I assumed… I assumed Katherine turned you." She knew this was a sore subject, and because of her own personal feelings, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear this.

"Yes, well, she definitely started the process. She kept telling us that she was going to choose, that at the end of the day it would be only one brother with her for all eternity." He barked a short, humorless laugh. "Lying bitch. Anyway, things progressed as they do. Blood was exchanged. Lives were taken. But there were two major hitches in the plan. The first was that she was captured. We tried to rescue her and were shot for our efforts, thanks to our dear, sweet, loving father."

Elena gasped. "Your own father shot you?"

Damon shrugged. "The minute we sided with the vampires, we were dead to him. He just didn't know that he ended up helping us complete the change. Gotta love the irony."

"So what was the second hitch?" Elena said, picking up a throw pillow and hugging it, scared that she wasn't going to like what came next.

Damon's eyes darkened. "I should think that would be obvious. _Stefan_. It was only supposed to be one of us; naturally, I assumed it would be me. When I found out that she had changed both of us…" He stared off into the distance, the memory still accompanied by a burning fury. "Let's just say we thought differently about it. When we realized that Katherine was no longer part of the equation, that changed things. I didn't want to live forever for the sake of living forever. What good was an eternal life without the supposed love of my life?" He shook his head. "You have to remember how young we were. Young and naïve. I didn't want to go on without her. She was my raison d'être. I didn't want everlasting life - not on this earth, anyway. Stefan, on the other hand, was only mildly put out. He wanted to complete the change so we would live forever, gallivanting around the globe for all time." He snorted. "A dynamic duo. See, while I waited for a welcome death, Stefan had already fed on human blood. He was on that high, that heightened awareness that comes with Power. The world was alive for the first time in his eyes. I, on the other hand, had accepted my fate and the choices that had led me to this point. But he couldn't leave well enough alone. When he found me, he brought along a little present."

Elena gripped the pillow tighter.

"There was a girl. She was young, pretty… and bleeding. Her neck was already pierced, the blood flowing and the scent overpowering. He brought her to me, closer and closer…" He inhaled deeply at the memory. "And the rest is history. I'm still here today, and he's the reason."

Elena swallowed thickly, trying to take in everything that he said. She tried to put herself in both their shoes, but struggled with it. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it before she could say anything.

"What?" Damon asked, returning to the present.

Elena bit her lip. "Well… I can't imagine what that must have been like. All of it. But is it wrong to say that it was ultimately a good thing?"

Damon looked at her, incredulous. "How was it a good thing?"

"Well… you're here. Now. With me," she said in a small voice. She realized how that sounded and quickly backpedaled. "I just mean - I'm glad I get to know you," she clarified.

"Uh huh," Damon said in a knowing voice. And just like that, his mood shifted. The dark introspection flipped a 180° and turned into light banter. "I see where you're going with this. I think you just got a bit girly on me, Elena Gilbert. Fantasizing about fate, how all the trials and tribulations we went through were worth it because the universe knew that we were meant to be together. I feel like I should break out into song."

"Oh, shut up," Elena said, turning red.

"No, no, I have just the one," he said, standing and getting into an imaginary groove. "And aaaall myyyy liiiiife, I prayed for someone like you, and Iiiiii thank Goood that I finally found you. Aaaall myyyy liiiife, I prayed for someone like you, and I hope that you feel the same way tooooooooo…." he sang.

"Stop it," she said, laughter bubbling up despite her best efforts. "You look like Marky Mark, dancing shirtless like that."

"Yeah baby, you feel that?" he teased, doing an impression.

Elena laughed harder, the former serious mood broken.

Damon smirked. "No? Slow jam's not working for you? Maybe you'd prefer a duet. 'Endless Love' sound appropriate?"

"Oh, perfect," Elena deadpanned.

"Hey, they sang it on Glee. It's culturally relevant again." He looked around. "We should get a piano. And a piano player." He picked up the remote for the stereo and clicked it until he found an adult contemporary station. "This will do," he said, satisfied. He grabbed Elena's hands and pulled her off the sofa and into his arms, rocking her back and forth in a dance, singing cheesy love songs in her ear.

Elena shook her head, trying not to get swept up in the romance of the moment. She wasn't used to Damon being romantic. Impulsive, yet. But romantic? Not so much. She decided that his behavior was primarily to entertain himself; her feelings were probably secondary. She was convinced of this theory when he felt the need to vocalize a particularly high-pitched saxophone interlude.

She grinned in spite of herself when he dipped her. "Is there ever a time when you don't feel like dancing?"

Damon pretended to consider it. "Nope."

"Sorry, I let myself in. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

They halted immediately and turned to the new voice. Pearl was standing in the doorway, a smirk on her face.

Elena blushed, stepping away from Damon. She tucked her hair behind her ears and mumbled an excuse about going to check on Stefan before leaving the room.

Pearl raised an eyebrow at Damon, but wisely said nothing. "You told Annabelle to watch out, that Johnathan was looking for me. Thank you for that."

Damon shrugged and turned off the music. "Well, I don't know what the hell he's looking for, but whatever it is, I don't think we should let it anywhere near him."

"I agree," Pearl said, stepping closer. "And that's why I'm giving it to you." She held out her palm to a surprised Damon.

He picked up the object and turned it over a few times."What is it?"

"I'm not sure. I thought it was another vampire detector, but it's not. Which makes it all the more dangerous until we know what it is."

"So… why are you giving it to me?"

Pearl smiled. "I'm leaving. As I'm sure you're aware, the rest of the vampires from the tomb have scattered. I now know I can't trust any of them. But I think I can trust you. Consider it an act of faith."

"Thank you," he said simply.

Pearl nodded. "I'll be in touch. Have a good day, Damon." She disappeared in a flash, leaving Damon to shut the door behind her. He looked at the object again, mystified. He headed to the study to do some research.

* * *

"I still don't think we should have left him alone," Elena said, frowning as she opened her front door. Damon followed her inside.

"He'll be fine; it's just one night. Besides, you insisted on family night, and I sure as hell wasn't going to let you come alone."

"I'm not some helpless girl, Damon. I can take care of myself," she said, dropping her bag on the couch.

"Yes, but your aunt can't cook," he stage-whispered.

"I heard that!" Jenna said good-naturedly, peeking out of the kitchen.

"Alone, can't cook alone!" Damon said smoothly. "What kind of family would we be if we didn't offer to assist our dear hostess with preparation?"

"Since when were you a part of this family?" Jenna teased.

"About that… Elena, darling, show her the ring," he said.

Jenna's jaw dropped until she realized he was kidding. "Just for that, you're on cleanup duty tonight," she said, throwing a dishtowel at him.

"It's so nice to be home," he sighed dramatically, catching it and tossing it over his shoulder.

Elena rolled her eyes. They followed Jenna into the kitchen. Elena was surprised to find Alaric there, leaning against the counter, cringing each time Jenna burned something but withholding comment out of politeness. She held back a giggle but jumped when Damon not-so-subtly elbowed her with a pointed glance toward the smoking oven. "Anything we can do to help?" she said sweetly.

"Um, yeah, check on the roast while I finish these veggies," Jenna said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

Elena cracked open the oven and coughed as the smoke poured out. She waved it away and eyed the extra-crispy roast with suspicion.

Alaric exchanged a forlorn glance with Damon. "It… smells good," he offered.

There was a long pause before the entire kitchen erupted in laughter.

"Oh, forget it. Jeremy!" Jenna called, shutting off the oven and all the burners.

Jeremy appeared in the doorway. "Pizza's already on its way," he said with a smirk.

Jenna shook her head. "I promise someday I'll get this right, guys."

"It's ok, Jenna. We love you anyway," Elena said with a grin, giving her a hug.

Jeremy piped up. "Besides, Damon can cook for us anytime, can't you, Damon?"

"Can he now?" Alaric said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he made this amazing dish last time he came to family night," Jeremy said.

Alaric glanced at Damon, his expression never changing. Just how involved _was_ Damon with Elena's family?

"It's true," Jenna said. "Elena, I hereby declare that you can't be in a fight with Damon… at least not for the rest of the Family Nights of your high school career. His culinary skills are officially required."

"Hear that? You guys are my witnesses. I get to win every argument. Thanks, Jenna," Damon said, slinging an arm around Elena's shoulders.

"Oh please," Elena said. "You're not irreplaceable. We have five different takeout options on speed dial around here."

"I'm wounded, Miss Gilbert! But don't worry, Jenna. I'm a lover, not a fighter. You tell them, Elena," he said with a wicked smirk.

"Stop it," she said, smacking his chest, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Now _that's_ a withering stare," he said to Elena. He addressed the rest of the family. "She's been practicing all day," he explained.

"Shut up," she sulked.

"No, Elena, keep up the good work. That one had me shaking in my boots," he said with a wink.

"Good grief," she said, rolling her eyes.

"She loves me, she's just too stubborn to admit it," Damon said with theatrical confidence.

Elena opened her mouth, intending to issue a witty comeback - until he looked at her. Something in his eyes made her stop. She just stood there, unable to break eye contact. Someone cleared their throat and she licked her lips, looking down and stepping out from under his arm. "Um… I'm gonna set the table. Wanna help, Jer?"

"I'll help you," Alaric said quickly.

Jenna looked back and forth between Elena and Damon suspiciously. "Ok boys, that means you get to help me dispose of the dearly departed remains of dinner attempt number one. Come on."

In the dining room, Elena and Alaric set each place in silence.

"So…" Alaric started, not sure how to progress.

Elena tucked her hair behind her ears and folded her arms, uncomfortable. She didn't want people getting the wrong idea about her and Damon… trouble was, she wasn't sure what the right idea was. But Alaric was thinking about a different subject entirely.

"So, you know how we discussed that your Isobel was also my Isobel."

"Yeah…" Elena said. Where was he going with this?

"Yeah, uh," Alaric looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll just spit it out. Isobel is back."

Elena gasped. "I thought she died!"

Alaric pursed his lips. "Damon didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Alaric sighed. He knew damn well that Damon was listening in the other room. But Elena had to know, and now. "She didn't die. She… changed."

"What do you mean, she changed?"

Alaric simply looked at her, waiting for her to connect the dots.

"Oh!" She sank down into the nearest chair. "She's…" she swallowed. "She's a vampire?"

"Yeah. She was always interested in vampires but I never believed her. Then she met…" his eyes met Damon's, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, not giving away a single expression. "…someone, and she wanted to become a vampire. They turned her and I hadn't seen her since. I suppose she felt it would be easier for me if I thought she died."

"That's… wow, that's a lot to take in. So, ok, she's back?" Elena said, shaking her head.

"She's back," he confirmed, "and she wants to meet you. I'm not sure why - I mean, I would assume why, it's just that she's so different now, I don't know if…" Alaric sighed. "She wants to meet you."

"Oh…" Elena considered it. Of course she wanted to meet her birth mother - it was only natural. However, she didn't know what to expect - especially knowing what little she did of Isobel's backstory. "Well, I guess I could meet her."

"You're not going alone," Damon said, suddenly appearing at her side. She was too deep in thought to be startled.

"Hm?" she said absentmindedly.

"I'm going with you," Damon said.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Alaric started.

"I'm sorry, did I give the impression that I cared what you thought?" Damon said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm going with her. End of discussion."

Alaric bit his tongue. The topic was definitely going to be addressed later, but they couldn't continue this talk with dinner about to start. "Tomorrow, at the Grill. That way it's a crowded room and we can _both_ watch you."

"Both watch you do what?" Jeremy said, bringing in the pizza with Jenna right behind him.

"Lose at your stupid video games," Elena fibbed. "You know I'm terrible but I've got five dollars saying I can get to level three."

Jeremy scoffed as they all sat down. "Yeah, right."

Elena sat back, lost in thought as the dinner conversation flowed around her. Without realizing it, her hand found Damon's under the table. She could swear he squeezed it ever so slightly in reassurance. Her birth mother. There was so much to ask her; she had so many questions. The usual, like who was her father and why did she give her up, and the unusual, like how did you become a vampire…

She didn't notice Damon watching her like a hawk. She also didn't know that as she was planning her questions, Damon was planning something of his own… like paying a visit to an old friend...

* * *

**_Author's note: Eek! So I hope that was worth the wait. Sorry again for the delay. But we're getting pretty close to the end here, and September is so far away! :) So tell me the bits you liked and the bits that can improve... and the bits you're looking forward to! Next up: Who's Damon going to visit (like you don't know) and what's he going to do/say when he gets there? And how will the Elena/Isobel meeting go? What about poor Stefan, locked away, slowly starving himself to death? And when will these kids come to grips with their feelings? (Hint: someone's going to force the issue next chapter, and holy smokes, is it gonna hit the fan!) Please continue to leave awesome reviews. Thanks for reading!_**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

**_Author's note: I know, I know, I abandoned you guys. I'm wretched. It started as it usually does, going on vacation, then getting busy once you get home, then forgetting to make time to write... Anyway, enough excuses. You guys have stuck with me this long - you deserve a cut straight to the action!_**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Damon checked his watch. He sighed and shifted ever so slightly on the plush loveseat. He glanced around the room, taking in the surroundings. It wasn't hard to find this place; it was her modus opperandi. Hell, he taught her that. He reflected on his current situation while he waited for her to return to her temporary lair.

He thought about Stefan, still in his self-imposed funk. But each day Elena coaxed him closer and closer to joining the land of the living - so to speak. He had no doubt that Stefan would be up and running in no time, returning as an ever-brooding participant in their never-ending love triangle. Then there was the invention that Pearl entrusted to him; none of his research had proved fruitful. He still didn't know what the damn thing did. He was loath to say it, but Bonnie just might be their best option if they wanted to crack this case. Maybe he could send Elena in, batting those beautiful brown eyes. Elena. Alaric didn't tell her who turned Isobel; but perhaps it was only a matter of time before she found out. He'd rather she found out from him than from Isobel or Alaric. He also didn't know if Isobel planned to tell her that her Uncle John was actually her biological father. Damon looked up when he heard the door open and click shut.

"Well, well, well. If isn't my creator."

He looked up. She had returned. Damon smiled widely, yet the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Isobel. It's been awhile."

"Hm," she said, strolling into the room and sitting in a nearby armchair. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Oh, we both know this isn't yours. I think the real question is what brings you to my humble town?"

Isobel smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"I'm not going to ask twice."

Isobel sighed. "You used to be more fun. Fine, if you must know, several things. Mostly business."

"Business?"

"Yes. I'm looking for a device - an invention, if you will. John Gilbert is failing miserably, so I'm here to make sure it gets into the right hands."

"Hm. And whose hands would that be?"

She smiled. "Someone you know and love."

Damon chuckled. "That, my dear, is a very short list."

"Yes, but I presume Katherine's still on it," she said, leaning forward.

Damon gritted his teeth. "Well now, that's a bit presumptuous, don't you think?"

"Oh please," Isobel said, waving her hand in the air. "Everyone knows that the Salvatore brothers were gaga over Katherine, though it appears Stefan has replaced her in his affections." She noted Damon's careful non-reaction. "I've done my research," she said.

"Well apparently not very well. I don't give a damn about Katherine. She clearly didn't give a damn about either of us, so why should we care after all these years?"

Isobel clucked her tongue. "Tsk tsk, Damon. You of all people should know she cares - in her way. Anyway, that's only one of my reasons for coming here. I'm curious about Elena myself."

"Curious about Elena?" he scoffed. "What's it to you; did that mothering gene finally kick in? Feel like nesting with Uncle John? You can't just jump back into her life like it's nothing. She, unlike you, has feelings."

Isobel tried not to show her surprise over Damon knowing about John. She redirected the focus. "Oh, what do you care about her feelings, hm? I must say, you've really changed, Damon."

"Thank you," he said dryly.

"I didn't mean it as a compliment. You're weaker. You're becoming just like your brother, letting your emotions take control. Why on earth would you allow that to happen? Everything's so much better without it. You taught me that."

"Well maybe some things are worth it."

"Like love?" she taunted.

"Like Elena. So as we were saying… back the hell off. This is still my town, and I'm not going to let you or anyone else mess with it."

"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots," Isobel said, rolling her eyes. "What do you think this is all about, Damon? I'm not here to terrorize the town for the hell of it. All I want is the device and a little chat with my daughter. Is that so bad?"

Damon folded his arms, raising an eyebrow in response.

Isobel huffed. "Do you have it?" She knew damn well he did; Pearl told John as much right before he staked her. Pity, she had wanted to meet her.

"If I did, I certainly wouldn't tell you," he said, folding his arms.

"But Katherine wants it. And you know Katherine always gets what she wants."

Damon knew that all too well. But he still wouldn't play nice. "Well then Katherine can get off her lazy ass and come down here and ask for it herself."

"Don't be so obstinate. It doesn't suit you," she said dangerously. "Besides, I'm meeting with Elena this afternoon. I would hate for that meeting to go… badly."

All of a sudden, Isobel found herself in the air, held up by Damon's hand squeezing her throat. "You harm one hair on her head, and I swear to God I will tear you to pieces myself," he growled. He squeezed tighter for effect before releasing her, letting her drop to the ground, gasping for breath.

"So… it's true…" she croaked.

"What?" he snarled.

"You _are_ in love with her," she said, wide-eyed, massaging her throat.

"Goodbye, Isobel," Damon said curtly, storming out and slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"Stefan, come on. I need you. We need you. You've got to pull yourself together; you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened in the past. The past is done, over with. What matters is the present. And the future. And you need to be a part of both," Elena pleaded, holding the bag of blood up to the bars on the door, a tiny straw protruding from it as if it was a Capri Sun.

Stefan looked up at her, still miserable. But something in her eyes made him reconsider. She was pleading with him to rejoin the world, to be with her. He slowly stood, taking painstakingly small steps toward the door.

"It's deer, I swear," she said, noticing the way he was warily eyeing the bag. She remembered how Damon whined the whole time he prepared it.

Stefan took the proffered bag, feeling the weight of it in his hands before he slowly raised it to his lips. He looked once more at Elena; the hope in her eyes spurring him on. In that moment, he forgave himself of the past. He vowed to make a new future with Elena, one that would be free of hurt and pain. He drank, trying to drink slowly like one who was tasting his first water after crossing the desert. But all too soon the bag was crumpled in his fist.

"Wait, I'll get another," Elena said, excitedly. She ran off before he could call after her. She came back with two more bags, which he drank with equal caution.

When he finished, he looked around his cell. "I'm ready," he said simply.

Elena beamed as she grabbed the keys, dropping them twice as she fumbled trying to unlock the door. It finally swung open, and she rushed into his arms. She forgot how much she missed him, and all of a sudden it really hit home how close to death he was.

Stefan held her, never wanting to let go. He buried his face in her hair, careful not to crush her in his strengthening hold. "I love you," he breathed into her ear.

"I love you too," she said. She meant it. But as the words were coming out of her mouth, she realized she meant them in a completely different way now. She told herself that the minute he was fully recovered, she'd break it to him gently. She pulled away. "You need some rest now. Go on to your room; I've got it all fixed up. Take a nap for a few hours - I promise you'll feel much better."

"Alright," he said. He started to walk up the stairs, then paused, turning and coming back down. "Thank you for giving me my life back," he said, framing her face with his hands and placing the gentlest of kisses on her lips. With that, he headed upstairs and into his room, not seeing the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Elena took a deep breath and turned off the lights, trudging up the stairs.

* * *

Elena bit her lip and took another anxious sip of water. She looked around the Grill, noticing it was still very busy for the lunch crowd. She sat at an empty table, but kept glancing over to the corner where Damon and Alaric were pretending not to watch her. She was surprised when a beautiful brunette slid into the chair opposite her.

"Hello, Elena."

"Hi," Elena said. She wasn't sure what to call her; Isobel? Mom?

"How have you been?" Isobel said, polite yet distant.

Elena opened and closed her mouth. "Um… for the last sixteen years? Good, in general. Right now… well, I've been better."

Isobel nodded. "I know. This must be a terrible shock to you. But at least you're now familiar with my world. This would have been much harder if you didn't know about… my kind."

Elena attempted a smile. "I suppose so - but I still have so many questions for you. What made you want to turn? Who's my father?" she blurted out.

Isobel pursed her lips. "I'm not here to give you answers, Elena. Besides, even if I did, they wouldn't give you any comfort. I became what I am because I wanted it, plain and simple. I don't expect you to understand… then again, maybe I do. Surely you've considered it."

"Considered what?"

"Well in a few years, you'll age past Stefan's appearance. That will be more than a little awkward. And think about how you will look ten years down the road, twenty… Are you going to stay with a teenager into your retirement years or are you going to change and live with him forever?"

Elena swallowed thickly. "I've never really thought about it," she lied. Of course she wondered; how could she not, when Katherine looked so much like her? It was easy to picture. But she surprisingly hadn't had the time to truly give it serious thought, what with all the crazy things that had happened this year.

"Hm. Well that's something you'll need to decide - and quickly."

Elena chose to avoid the subject. "Well then can you at least tell me who my father is?"

Isobel waved away her question. "Not important. He was no good back then, and he's no good now. You're better off in the dark. But let's come to the point of this conversation, shall we?"

Elena flinched. "I wasn't aware this conversation had a particular point."

"I know. And I'm sorry I'm not who you thought I would be. But that doesn't matter now. What matters is the device."

"The what?" Elena asked, confused.

"There's a device I need, one of Johnathan Gilbert's inventions. I need it and you're going to get it for me."

In the corner, both Damon and Alaric looked up in alarm.

"I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

Isobel spoke slowly, as if Elena didn't understand English. "There's a device. I need it. And you will get it. Or else bad things will happen."

Elena gaped at her. "Bad things will happen… to who?"

Isobel smiled sweetly. "To you, of course." She held up a hand. "And tell Damon to stay in his time-out corner. I know he and Alaric are there watching this entire meeting."

Elena looked up to see Damon gripping his table, the tabletop bending under his fingers. Alaric looked just as anxious, but she slowly nodded to them both, mouthing that she was fine.

Isobel cocked her head to one side. "Something confuses me, though. Why isn't your precious Stefan here, defending you from mommy dearest?"

"He's… not feeling well," Elena said. She didn't trust Isobel; that's all she was willing to offer as far as an explanation was concerned.

"Ah. Shame. I didn't realize; I've only gotten the Reader's Digest version of events around here." She stood up. "Still, it was… nice meeting you, Elena. Let's meet tomorrow night - say, in the town square. I'm sure that's plenty of time to scare up the device. And here's a helpful hint; your search begins and ends with Damon. There's a lot he's not telling you, Elena. And I'm sure he's just dying for a chance to tell you before you hear things from less… desirable sources. See you around." She turned on one heel and exited the restaurant.

Elena blinked several times, not realizing that she had wrapped her arms around herself. She also felt panic building within her - was this what an anxiety attack felt like? She didn't even notice the men walk up to her table.

"Breathe, Elena," Alaric said, running his fingers through his hair. Damn that Isobel. It was true - she was only a monster now.

"Elena? Elena, can you hear us?" Damon asked, squinting his eyes at her. She looked up from the table and met his eyes. She could feel the tears welling up, threatening to slide down her cheeks, but she didn't want to lose it here in front of all these people.

"We should get out of here," Alaric said.

Damon nodded in agreement. "Come on, Elena." He gently gripped her arms and guided her up and out of the chair. She was shaking.

"Damon…" she said, unable to vocalize the thoughts and feelings swirling around in her head.

"I know," he said, not sure if she was going to go crazy on him. That's all they needed. He was surprised when she closed her eyes and leaned into his chest, sliding her arms around his waist and holding on for dear life. "Hey, it's… uh… it's gonna be ok," he said, folding his arms around her and stroking her hair. He ignored Alaric's expression. "Let's go, hm?" he mumbled against her forehead, pressing a kiss to it. He looked up to see Bonnie across the room. Shit. She was giving him a major death glare. He kept his eyes on Bonnie as he spoke to Elena. "Elena, come on. We need to regroup. Do you want to go get something to eat? I mean, somewhere else?" He could feel Elena sigh against his chest, mumbling something incomprehensible. "What?" he asked, finally looking at her.

She pulled away. "I wanna go home."

"Ok, home it is," Damon said, relieved that they could get the hell out of there. The last thing he wanted to do was provoke a witch right now.

"I'll drive," Alaric said, pointedly guiding Elena away from Damon, his hand on her back as the made their way through the restaurant.

Damon nodded at Bonnie as they passed her. She regarded him coolly, not moving a muscle. Well… it could have gone worse.

* * *

"Why don't you get settled; we'll get you some water," Alaric said, watching Elena sink onto the couch. He jerked his head at Damon, who only rolled his eyes at him as he followed him into the kitchen. Alaric waited until they were out of earshot before laying into Damon. "What the _hell_ is going on here?"

"Jesus, what?" Damon asked.

"I mean when Elena says she wants to go home, we end up here. At _your_ house."

Damon smirked. "Yeah, well, what can I say? She spends so much time here these days that she considers it her second home."

"Hm. And what does she consider her second bed?" Alaric accused. Before Damon could answer, Stefan walked in the room.

"Hey guys."

"Little brother! Look at you, all up and walking around and sane," Damon chirped. Alaric rolled his eyes.

"How are you feeling, Stefan?" he asked politely.

"Better, much better, thank you. And before I put my foot in my mouth, what's wrong with Elena?" Stefan asked.

Alaric and Damon exchanged a glance. Damon spoke up. "She's had a bit of a nasty shock."

Stefan waited. "Well?"

Alaric filled a glass with water. "Isobel."

Damon nodded at Stefan's confused expression. "You've missed a lot, kid. Isobel is a descendant of Katherine who also happens to be Alaric's ex-wife, who also happens to be Elena's mother."

"What? Does that mean you're…" Stefan looked at Alaric in askance.

"Whoa! No, uh-uh, I'm just her teacher. That went down years ago; Isobel never told me. We didn't find out until recently."

Stefan let it all sink in. "So… she just found all this out?"

"Not only that…" Damon said. "She just met her for the first time."

"Oh!" Stefan peered through the arch into the living room, seeing Elena sitting there, staring into space.

Damon continued. "Yeah, and she' s a piece of work. Poor thing didn't know her mother was a vampire until… what, yesterday?" he looked to Alaric for confirmation.

"Yeah. And now she's processing everything. Not only did she just meet her birth mother, she found out she's a heartless bitch," Alaric said bitterly. "Isobel's not even interested in learning more about her. She's just on some cockeyed mission to find some mythical device."

"Well then what are we standing around here for? We need to be there for her," Stefan said, breezing past them and sitting on the couch next to Elena.

"Always the hero," Damon muttered.

"This conversation isn't finished," Alaric said, tapping his ear and pointing to let Damon know that he wasn't continuing in case Stefan could hear them. Damon made a face at him and they went into the living room.

Elena looked up when they sat down across from her. She noticed Damon's jaw twitching as he took in Stefan's protective stance, his arm around her shoulders and his other hand entwined in hers. She pleaded with her eyes, hoping that somehow she could convey that she wished it was Damon comforting her, that now wasn't the time to dump Stefan in a group setting like this.

Alaric decided to break the awkward silence. "So… this device. What is it, and where is it?"

"I don't know what it is, but Pearl gave it to me as some sort of peace/trust offering. It's right here," Damon said, pulling it out and setting it on the table.

Stefan picked it up. "It looks like one of those compasses, the vampire detectors."

"Yeah, but that's not what it is. And hell if I know. But I want to know what it is before handing it over to anyone," Damon said.

"You know who might know…" Stefan said, giving Damon a significant look.

Damon nodded. "I know. I was just hoping it wouldn't come to that."

"Wouldn't come to what?" Elena said.

* * *

"Are you serious? No way, I'm not doing anything to help… _them_," Bonnie said, with an angry glance toward the Salvatore brothers.

"But it's not just them, the whole town could be in trouble! We just need to figure out what it is before handing it over to -" Elena choked on her words. What was she going to say, 'to my mother?' "To more dangerous vampires."

Damon smirked. "Yeah, believe it or not, sister, we ain't the only bloodsuckers in town, and we're actually trying to prevent any impending massacres, so if you could find it in your cold, cold heart to help a guy out, we'd be eternally grateful."

Stefan glared at him. "What he's trying to say is that we don't want anyone to get hurt, and I don't think Isobel and her friends have the best of intentions. The town is in danger, and we need to figure out how to keep it safe."

Bonnie sighed. "Fine. But just know that I'm doing this for the innocent people out there." She left the room and returned with Emily's grimoire. "I've been doing a bit of research and it turns out that all of Johnathan Gilbert's inventions were total crap."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Total crap? But they work, we've seen them."

Bonnie shook her head. "Oh, they work alright, but not because of Johnathan. Emily spelled them all. She was under Katherine's control, sworn to protect her and all, but this was kind of like a loophole in their contract. A way to keep her fellow townsfolk safe from the vampires. That device looks familiar… let me see," she said, flipping the pages until she found what she was looking for. "Here it is," she said, pointing to a diagram. "It's a one-time-use-only kind of thing, but it looks like it's meant to incapacitate vampires for at least five minutes."

"Five minutes, huh?" Damon said, rubbing his chin.

"I wonder what they're going to use it for. Or when," Stefan mused.

"Oh, I think we can all guess the when," Damon said.

"Founders' Day," Elena answered, things suddenly clicking. A big crowd, lots of commotion, fireworks, it would be perfect. "But why?"

"I don't know why Katherine or Isobel would want to kill them, but dear Uncle John would love nothing better than to wipe us all out in one fell swoop. And that goes for the entire town council as well," Damon said.

"Is there a way to deactivate it?" Elena asked.

"I don't know…" Bonnie said.

Stefan looked at her, pleading in his eyes. "Let's be honest. I know you would be perfectly happy for us all to disappear and never come back. And if this device is activated and John gets his way, that's a very real possibility. But I put this to you: doesn't it worry you just a bit that this whole thing is being masterminded by Katherine and her minions?"

Damon snorted. "Yeah, it's like spending your time picking off the stormtroopers when Darth Vader's on your tail."

He was met with three blank stares.

"What, really? Nobody? Bueller? Haven't you ever heard of a little phenomenon called Star Wars?"

"Oh, we've seen Star Wars, we just didn't expect so… fanboy a reference," Elena smirked. "But Han Solo over here makes a point. Until we know more about the master plan, we need to deactivate the device."

All eyes turned to Bonnie. She returned their looks defiantly until her eyes met Elena's. She mentally cursed at herself the instant she caved. "Fine," she said tersely. "Let me get a few thing together." She disappeared into the other room, leaving Elena to breathe a huge sigh of relief and the brothers to exchange a wary glance.

"You think she'll really do it?" Damon said, so low that only Stefan could hear him.

"We have to trust her," Stefan replied, matching his tone. He cleared his throat and spoke aloud. "I'll just go see if I can help her."

Damon watched him exit the room before he turned to Elena with a knowing smirk. "So, I'm Han Solo, hm?"

"Oh, shut up, it's because you're a scoundrel and you know it," Elena said, her blush betraying her casual nonchalance.

"Mm-hm. But you like scoundrels. Which would make you Princess Leia. Oh, what I wouldn't give to see you in that slave girl costume…" he mused.

Elena's blush deepened. "That is something I can positively _guarantee_ you won't see in this lifetime."

Damon reached out a hand, trailing a finger from her collarbone down the front of her shirt. Elena's breath hitched in her throat as his finger descended, hooking between the low-rise waist of her jeans and her skin, pulling her close to him. "Not in this lifetime, perhaps," he agreed, his lips so close his breath was mixing with hers, "but maybe in the next." He closed the gap and kissed her, shocking her in his daring to kiss her with his brother in the very next room.

Elena's head spun as just as quickly as he had drawn her close, he suddenly disappeared, and she opened her eyes to find him at the opposite side of the room, leaning casually against the wall and inspecting his fingernails.

"I'm ready," Bonnie said, setting up some equipment in the middle of the room. Stefan helped her arrange things, then stepped back to let her do her work.

They watched as she did some incantations, the device levitating and shining. Something happened - they just weren't sure what. And suddenly, the device dropped. The otherworldly light left the room and everything looked ordinary again.

"It's done," Bonnie said, picking up the device and tossing it to Elena. Elena turned it over and over in her hands.

"Thank you," she said sincerely, squeezing Bonnie's hand.

"Don't mention it," she mumbled. Really. Don't, because what Elena and her boy toys didn't know was that she chanted a few meaningless spells, leaving the device in perfect working order. She only hoped that Damon and Stefan were ignorant or forgetful enough not to know the difference. She loved Elena like a sister, but if there was a way to save her from these killers, by God she was going to do whatever it took to protect her friends and her town. And if that meant no more Salvatore brothers, then so be it…

* * *

_**Author's note: The plot thickens! Ok, so you already sort of knew where it was going, but not necessarily my twisted version! And how about a shout out to our boy Ian for beating out not only Wolverine but both Team Edward and Team Jacob for EW's coveted Sexy Beast title! Yeah! So as usual, let me know what you think. The next chapter won't take quite so long - this story needs to wrap up before Season 2 begins. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's Note: Ok, so I might have forgotten about this fic a little. And by a little, I mean completely. But as the summer goes on and we are TVD-less and precious little spoilers have come our way, I return to the world of fan fiction and since I have an idea for a new (much more original) story, it's only fair that I finish this one first. So without further delay, I bring you the last chapter! (Plus a little epilogue.)**_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Elena sighed into her cell phone. "Stefan, I'm fine." She stared vacantly at the carpet in her bedroom, tracing small figure eights with her toe while she sat on the bed. "Seriously, I'll be alright. I just want to sleep in my own bed tonight and keep an eye on Jenna and Jeremy." She rolled her eyes as he continued to protest. "No, she's never been invited into the house. We'll be safe. No, I haven't seen Damon. Well _I_ don't know what he's doing! Why don't you call him instead of asking me?" She sighed again. "Sorry. I'm just tired. I'll call you tomorrow. Ok. You too. Bye."

She snapped her phone shut and flopped backwards onto her bed. She missed the days when her biggest problem was what dress to wear to the dance, or making sure she remembered all the steps to a cheer. Hell, she'd even settle for the time when things were awkward with Matt right after their breakup. As messed up as things were last summer, it seemed like nothing in comparison to the things she had to deal with now. An entire town in danger, Jeremy acting weird, Jenna trying to be a quasi-parental figure… and two brothers in love with her. She wasn't sure which was worse; loving both, or being in love with just one. Well, technically, she didn't know how Damon felt about her. Stefan couldn't seem to profess his love enough, especially after his recent rebound from his blood addiction. Damon, however… well, she had to use all her feminine intuition to interpret the signs he gave her. He was just so infuriatingly contradicting.

"Hell of a night."

Elena sat up quickly, jolted from her reverie. She relaxed when she realized she knew the intruder. "Jeez, Damon. I don't know if I'm ever going to get used to your sneak-attack entrances."

Damon smirked from her windowseat. He strode over to the bed and sat next to her. "I'm sorry. Let me think of a more… friendly hello." He leaned closer and smirked when he heard Elena's heartbeat spike. He moved in to brush his lips against hers. "Hello," he mumbled against her lips.

"Hi…" she breathed as his lips closed over hers. She instinctively slid closer, wrapping her arms around his neck as he kissed her slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. She couldn't get over the duality of Damon. Here was this man, this cold and calculating killer, who could destroy her in less than a second if he wanted to. But contrary to his nature - or perhaps just part of his true nature hidden deep within himself - he was gentle with her, even sometimes affectionate. She couldn't help but smile at him when he finally pulled away.

"Hell of a night, indeed," she said wryly.

"Mm," he said noncommittally, distracting himself by twirling a lock of her hair around his finger.

"So…" she said, not exactly sure how to ask him what his intentions were.

"So," he repeated, still not making eye contact as he played with her hair.

Elena mentally sighed. She reached up and took his hand, pulling it down between them. "I'm really tired. Today was… emotionally exhausting."

" You should get some sleep," Damon said, making no move to show that he was leaving.

"Ok… well, I'm just gonna get ready for bed," she said, standing up awkwardly.

"Ok," he said agreeably.

Elena frowned; why did that annoy her? Oh yeah, because she never knew what he was thinking. She huffed and disappeared into her closet, changing into her pajamas. She re-entered the room to find Damon in the exact same spot she left him. He smiled at her and she smiled awkwardly back before leaving the room to brush her teeth and wash her face. Was she being rude? Would he still be there when she came back? She went through the motions swiftly and then scurried back to her room, shutting the door silently behind her. She was almost surprised to see Damon still sitting calmly on her bed.

She cleared her throat. "Ok, so, um, I'm going to go to bed now."

"Ok," he repeated.

She gave him a funny look as she turned down the sheets, slipping into the opposite side of the bed. "Um… I'm going to turn out the light now, so, if you don't mind..." She gave a significant glance to her window.

Damon finally smirked. "Oh, wait, did you think that I was going to leave you here alone with a killer on the loose?" he said. "Hell to the no. I'm not going anywhere tonight."

"Oh," Elena said, blushing. "So are you going to stay up and patrol the house or something?"

"No, I'm sleeping with you. That is… if you want," he said, a hint of teasing in his voice.

"Oh, I want," Elena said. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth in embarrassment. She had practically purred. She quickly turned off the lamp to hide the flush in her cheeks. It didn't help that moonlight was streaming through the window.

Damon chuckled. "That's what I figured." He stood and shrugged off his jacket, leaving it haphazardly pooled on the floor. He pulled off his shirt, grinning when he saw Elena gnawing her lower lip at the ripple of movement in his muscles as he undressed. He kicked off his shoes and flung off his socks before finally unbuckling his belt and sliding off his jeans, leaving his clothes in a messy pile. He lifted the covers and settled into bed beside her. Elena automatically shifted to his side, molding herself to the side of his body, wrapping an arm across his chest and sighing in contentment when he curled his arm around her, their legs tangling below.

"This is nice," she murmured.

"Hmm?" he said, resting his chin on her head.

"This," she said, squeezing him lightly. "This is nice. I feel safe and lo-" she stopped before she could continue and make an ass of herself. How presumptuous, to announce that he loved her. "This is nice," she repeated.

"Yes it is," he agreed. "This is nice," he said, kissing her forehead, "and this is nice," he said, kissing her eyelids, "and this is nice," he said, kissing her nose, "and this is really nice," he said, finally kissing her lips.

"Mm-hm," she moaned into his kiss. She slid her hand up to grip his shoulder, deepening the kiss before suddenly pulling away. "I'm sorry… I… we can't."

Damon raised an eyebrow at the abrupt turnaround. "We can't? As I recall, we can, and with great results. Have you seen us? We're hot!"

"That's not what I meant," Elena said, blushing. "I need to break up with Stefan before… this… happens again. It's not right."

Damon huffed. "Well what makes this time any different than any of the other times?"

"Because… because now he's better, and he could handle it if I broke up with him. And I just don't think it would be right to continue doing what we're doing until I've officially broken up with him."

"I see," Damon frowned. "Fine, then. Goodnight." He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

"Damon!" Elena said, angry. She narrowed her eyes at him. Why was he acting like such a child? Unless… unless he didn't really care for her like that. Unless it was all about the chase… only wanting her when he couldn't have her, sneaking around behind Stefan's back. If they were to do this when she was free of Stefan, it would lead to an actual relationship. And maybe Damon didn't want that… or really want her.

"What? You said you were tired, so go to sleep," he said, not opening his eyes or even turning his head.

Elena snapped. "So is this how it's going to be? You only want me when it's forbidden, like some little game? What happens when I break up with Stefan, hm? Will all the fun be over for you?" She rolled on her side, facing away from him, her next comment muffled by her pillow.

"What was that?" he asked.

Elena turned her head. "I said go to hell," she spat before burying her head back into her pillow.

"Well, I probably will, if someone gets lucky with a stake or some matches. But you realize you're being ridiculous. God, you're such a girl."

"A girl? A _girl?_" Elena said, rolling back over to face him. "What does that even mean?"

Damon looked annoyed. "That _means_ that you are being irrational. You tell me to stop kissing you, to not sleep with you, I comply, and you get angry. You're being ridiculous. And then you go all teenage girl on me and flip out and jump to conclusions. Why on earth would I want to stop sleeping with you just because you broke up with my brother? You don't think I'm going to enjoy rubbing his face in it? Because I so am."

"Well… well you shouldn't do that. That's not nice," Elena said, dodging the topic.

"Fuck being nice," Damon growled, suddenly flipping her onto her back. "Nice is overrated," he said, nibbling a trail down her neck to her collarbone.

Elena moaned and shifted beneath him. It was impossible to think, much less argue when he was doing such delicious things to her. "Just… mmm… I just don't want to see you two fight anymore. Maybe we should wait a while before… oh…" Elena lost her trail of thought when Damon slid her pajama bottoms and panties off her legs, kissing a trail up to her stomach. Almost without thinking, she arched her back and lifted her shoulders off the bed to allow him to tug off her top. Her brain attempted to sort through the haze of sensation, trying to remember where she left off. Oh yes, waiting. Every time she got a word out, his lips on her hot skin made her shout out interjections that were completely unrelated to the subject at hand. "I mean - oh! - when we're in public or - oh, God - just in front of him, we should be discreet, we should…" she trailed off when he cut her off with a kiss. Just as she allowed his tongue entrance to her mouth, she wrapped a leg around his midsection to find that he, too, was completely naked. She moaned as he slid one hand down her side, curving around her hip and gripping it tightly as he pressed his erection to her. She could feel herself getting instantly wet at just the possibility of an aroused Damon.

Damon broke the kiss. "Discreet? Uh-uh. I'm going to enjoy being able to have you wherever I want you, whenever I want you."

"Oh!" Elena exclaimed, both shocked and excited by the roughness of his voice. His hand left her hip to grip her chin, forcing her to make eye contact.

"And I want you here and now," Damon said, changing his angle and finally thrusting inside her.

Elena cried out, just as much from the intensity of his gaze as from the familiar and exhilarating sensation of being filled by him. She should have known it would be pointless to resist. She loved the fullness of Damon, snug inside her. She loved the friction he created as he plunged into her time and time again. And she loved the beautiful mess of tangled limbs as she inevitably tried to wrap herself tighter around him.

He wasted no time in bringing her to the edge, the only noise in the room their quiet grunts and whispered sighs. Elena noticed his eyes beginning to change, though Damon fought it back.

"Do it," she whispered.

"What?" Damon said, lifting his head from where he had been paying special attention to a breast.

"Bite me," she said saucily, encouraging the very thing he was trying to repress.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "And what about you, hm?"

Elena shrugged, biting her lower lip.

Damon smirked. The little vixen. He wondered how long it would be before she got curious about blood exchange again. "Share and share alike," he said, allowing his face to change. He cut his wrist and held it up to Elena's mouth. He moaned as she kept her eyes on his, licking the skin around the wound before pressing her lips to it and lightly sucking. He hissed; unable to wait any longer, he dove for her neck.

Elena began to feel that almost-high from freely giving her blood to Damon. The warmth spread throughout her body, her hips lifting in a more insistent rhythm to meet Damon's thrusts. She was getting dizzy from the intake of blood from Damon's wrist, and ceased sucking, placing a gentle kiss before moaning aloud as she came, her senses on overload. Damon felt her orgasm and released her neck, licking clean the wound, a darkly satisfied smile on his face as he watched the bite mark heal on its own. He pumped a few more times before grunting out in his own release, collapsing on top of her, catching his breath as her heart rate slowed back down. He made to move off her, but was held in place by her arms.

"Mm-mm," Elena said, shaking her head. "Stay right here. Just for another minute," she pleaded, not ready to let the heavenly weight of him go.

Damon smirked. Apparently, she just couldn't get enough of him. And boy, was that feeling mutual. He placed lazy kisses on her shoulder, rubbing one hand up and down her leg, still crooked around him. His other hand brushed the damp hair from her forehead as he lifted his head from her shoulder to study her face.

"What?" Elena said demurely, blushing.

Damon shook his head, a half-grin on his lips. Now was not the time for declarations of love… if that's what this was. Oh hell, of course that's what this was. Isobel was right. What started out as a dalliance, a distraction, quickly became more when Elena turned out to be the kind of girl who wasn't just a one-night stand. And when his competitive side kicked in and he decided he had to have her, part of it -ok, most of it - was down to the fact that it would seriously piss off Stefan. Having sworn to make Stefan's life a misery, this was the perfect chance. He just didn't figure on falling for Elena in the process. The sick thing was, he didn't think Elena felt the same. Déjà vu to the max. She was still so concerned about Stefan's feelings, always going on and on about how they needed to protect him, to care about him… she'd only ever admitted to loving Stefan. Why should he expect anything more? Maybe he was just a good lay. Ok, an excellent lay. But false modesty aside, he was sure Elena's guilt played more into her decisions than she realized. He just wondered if she could ever really break up with Stefan… or if she wanted to.

Damon pressed one more kiss to her lips before rolling off her, shifting her so her was spooning her from behind. Elena fluffed up the covers around them and then settled back into his arms, one hand moving down to entwine with the hand he had wrapped around her middle.

"Goodnight, Elena," Damon said quietly.

She turned her head to meet him in a sweet kiss before snuggling back onto her pillow. "Goodnight, Damon," she sighed. She soon drifted off to sleep, oblivious to Damon, wide-awake behind her. He sighed. It was going to be a long night, and tomorrow, a long day… something still seemed off about the exchange going down at tomorrow night's festival. He'd call it a gut feeling if he believed in such things. But all he could do was wait and see.

* * *

"Do you see her?" Elena asked nervously, stuffing her hands in her pockets. She searched the town square in the dark for any sign of Isobel. It had been a long day, and she was sick of waiting anxiously for the exchange. The Founder's Day celebration was going on all around them, but all she could focus on was the device. She kept turning it over and over in her hand.

"There," Damon said, with a gesture of his chin, indicating three shadows emerging from the crowd.

"Well hello there, Elena. I see you brought your boys with you," Isobel said, strolling casually toward Elena, the Salvatore brothers keeping a protective buffer between Isobel and Elena.

"Looks like you brought some friends too," Stefan said, eyeing the strangers flanking Isobel.

"What is it they say about safety in numbers?" Isobel said with a shrug. "Anyway, I believe you have something for me."

Elena hesitated, but picked up on the subtle nods from both brothers. She slowly retrieved the device from her pocket and held it out to Isobel. When Isobel went to retrieve it, Elena pulled it back. Isobel's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing, waiting for Elena to explain herself.

"Just… before I give this to you, can I ask you something?"

Isobel rolled her eyes. "You just did. But go ahead. Ask away. I just can't promise to answer in a way that would satisfy your apparently endless curiosity."

Elena pressed on. "Why do you need the device? What are you going to do with it? I know what it does… and I just wonder - won't it hurt you? Why would you want a device that could cause you harm?"

Isobel cocked her head to one side. "How sweet. Showing concern for your mother despite her apparent lack of maternal instinct to protect her young." Her protégés snickered behind her.

Elena's eyes flashed.

"Just give it to her, Elena. Don't waste your breath - she's not going to tell you anything you want to hear," Damon said, crossing his arms.

Isobel's eyes flicked to Damon's face. "Listen to loverboy, sweetie. He's a smart cookie. But so am I. I know that you're only concerned about what the device might do to the Salvatores. That would really rock your little love triangle, wouldn't it?"

Elena flushed. "There's no love triangle."

"Isn't there?" Isobel said. "Stefan's the boyfriend, right?"

"That's right," Stefan said, glancing back at Elena.

Isobel laughed mirthlessly. "Interesting. You do realize, dear boy, that Damon is in love with her, too."

Stefan scoffed and looked over at Damon, sure to see a telltale sign of impatience with her accusations. His smirk faded as he realized Damon was calmly staring her down, his face betraying nothing. He turned his focus to Elena, whose heartbeat was beginning to beat more rapidly. And he wasn't the only one who noticed.

"But wait -oh, this is too rich - don't tell me you're in love with him too? My poor daughter, doomed to repeat the mistakes of women before her. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but I can't believe you've fallen for BOTH Salvatore brothers. That is unless…"

She searched Elena's face and was surprised by what she found. "You're just in love with one brother, is that it? Which one is it, Elena?"

It only took a nanosecond for Elena's eyes to make contact with the back of Damon's head before blinking and returning to Isobel… but that was all Stefan needed to see. Suddenly, his world shifted, and he began considering the possibility that Elena and Damon's bond had turned into something more.

"Nice try going off topic, but that's not the point, is it?" Elena said. She had finally reached her limit. "Here, have the damn thing," she said, tossing the device to Isobel who caught it with lightning-quick reflexes. "And thanks for being a horrible disappointment. I didn't know what to expect, because in my experience vampires range in personality just as much as humans. But I'm glad that you kept things so black and white for me; now I can continue to consider my adoptive parents my real family. And having Jenna and Jeremy in my life is family enough. So thanks for that."

She turned on one heel and stormed off. Isobel's minions made to follow her, only hesitating because of the growls coming from the Salvatore brothers, promising a good fight if they pursued her.

"Let her go," Isobel said with a wave of her hand. She placed the device in her pocket. "You know how moody teenagers can be," she said with a half smile. "See you around, boys." They faded into the mist and the crowd, leaving Stefan and Damon alone to digest what just happened.

"Moody teenagers indeed," Damon snorted. "Crazy bitch."

"Maybe not so crazy," Stefan said, turning to his brother. "What do you think about her love triangle theory, Damon?"

"Uh, been there, done that. Not eager to relive that experience. We should go, see what they're going to do with the device."

Stefan didn't let it go. "We can walk and talk," he said, falling into step beside Damon.

"How 'bout we just stick to walking?" Damon barked, his patience wearing thin.

"Or we could talk about this love triangle business. Now perhaps you'd like to explain your earlier remark?"

Damon swore, but replied without breaking his stride. "Really? Sure, fine. Let's take a trip down memory lane. My love for Katherine was real, even though it wasn't for you, yet she still chose you and I'll be damned if I let it happen again."

"It won't happen again because Katherine is gone. Unless… " realization slowly dawned on Stefan. He stopped moving, and Damon sighed, stopping with him. "Unless you're talking about Elena. You _are _in love with her, aren't you? You want her to choose you, is that it?"

"Something like that. But let's keep this amiable, shall we? Here, I've got a quarter. You want to flip for her? Or better yet, let's rock-paper-scissor-lizard-Spock. That has a little more panache, don't you think? Remember, paper covers rock and lizard poisons Spock," Damon said, using hand gestures to convey the order.

Stefan knocked his hands away. "What the hell is wrong with you? Nothing's up for debate here. Elena's with _me_," he said, his eyes flashing, threatening to change. "And you can't have her."

"Who says I haven't already had her?" he taunted.

Stefan growled. "You son of a bitch. You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?"

"I'm not going to apologize, if that's what you're waiting for. I can't help it if this time, the tide has turned in my favor. This time, I get the girl."

"You're seriously delusional if you think that Elena is going to choose you over me. Why should she? Just look at you. Everywhere you go you leave murder and destruction in your wake."

"That's rich, coming from a guy who not five days ago was snacking on one of her friends."

"But that was one time. You've had several lifetimes of misery inflicted on everyone that you know. Why would you do that to her, and why would she choose that?"

"Maybe I've changed."

"Bullshit. Ever since you've returned, that's all I wanted. Just one glimmer of hope to see that you've really changed. But you haven't, and you never will. You - aargh!" Stefan cringed and grabbed his ears, dropping to the ground. He glanced up to see Damon crouched beside him, wincing and holding the sides of his head. Stefan's eyes widened as he saw someone plunge a needle into Damon's arm and pump a full syringe into him. There was such a commotion that he was barely aware of what was going on. He only knew that either he or Damon was being dragged away. Through the fog, he could hear someone saying something like 'I got this one.' He was hauled to his feet and stumbled before being tossed over someone's shoulder in a fireman's hold. Then he blacked out.

* * *

"What's going on?" Elena shouted over the fireworks.

"I don't know!" Bonnie shouted back.

"Do you see those policemen? They're dragging people away!" Elena pointed out.

"Is your phone ringing?" Bonnie said, pointing to Elena's pocket, the phone lighting up.

"Hello?" Elena answered, plugging her other ear to hear better. "Oh my God, we'll be right there."

"What is it?" Bonnie asked.

"They've got Stefan!"

"Who?"

"Alaric and - I can't tell who else. We gotta go this way." Elena shoved her phone back in her pocket and pushed through the crowd, not noticing Bonnie's expression as she followed.

* * *

"I'm ok," Stefan said when Elena finally made it to the building.

"What happened?" she asked.

Alaric looked at Bonnie, who was biting her lip.

"I think the device happened," Alaric said.

Elena's eyes went wide and she turned to Bonnie. "But I thought you removed the spell!"

"I'm sorry, Elena. I couldn't."

Elena's eyes narrowed. "You couldn't, or you wouldn't?"

Bonnie didn't answer.

"I think they have Damon," Stefan said. "I saw them take him away."

Alaric nodded. "That was the plan, I think. Fill them all with vervain and then…"

"And then what?" Elena demanded.

"And then take care of them," Alaric said carefully.

"Take care of them, how?" she asked. She looked up as she noticed something going on down the street. She ran to the doorway. "Smoke!" she cried. "Oh my God," she realized. "They're burning them!"

Bonnie stared at the floor.

"They've got Damon - come on, let's go!" Elena said, taking off running.

"Elena, don't! You'll get yourself killed!" Bonnie yelled, following her down the street, Alaric and Stefan two steps behind her.

"Ugh! Why. Won't. This. Door. Open!" Elena cried, banging and pulling on the door. The flames were leaping out the windows now.

"Here, let me," Stefan said, jerking the door open with one solid yank. They all coughed and spluttered as the smoke rushed over them. "Keep her out of there," Stefan ordered. Alaric held back an insistent Elena.

"Let me go! We've got to rescue him!" She kicked and struggled in Alaric's grip.

"Elena, calm down. If you go rushing in there, you're only going to get hurt. Let us do this," Bonnie said, an eerie calm settling over her.

Bonnie turned to Stefan. "You'll only have a few minutes. Get him and get out of there, ok?"

Stefan nodded curtly, waiting.

Bonnie closed her eyes and held out her hands. The smoke cleared and the flames flickered, dying down to barely a trail an inch or two from the ground. Stefan took off into the building and disappeared for one minute. Two minutes. Three minutes went by, and Elena was losing her mind. Bonnie was losing her concentration.

"I can't hold it much longer…" Bonnie murmured.

Finally, Stefan emerged, half-carrying Damon. They stumbled out the door and broke apart, each catching their breath. Alaric released Elena once they were clear of the flames.

Elena's feet seemed to move on their own; without thinking, she went straight to Damon, ignoring the soot and throwing her arms around him, crushing him into a hug that he willingly accepted.

"I thought I'd lost you forever," she mumbled against his collar, hot tears spilling from her eyes.

"You should be so lucky," he joked, coughing but hugging her back.

"What can I do? What do you need?" Elena said, pulling back and wiping the tears from her face, the streaks mixing with the soot from Damon's shirt.

"Everything I need is right here," he said, tucking her hair behind one ear.

Elena laughed through her tears. "Now that's just plain corny, Mr. Salvatore."

"Yeah, well, near-death experience does that to a guy."

"Um, I hate to break up the love-fest, but we have to get you guys out of here," Alaric said, glancing around to make sure that none of the local police were witnessing this particular reunion.

"Let's go," Stefan said gruffly. He strode ahead of the group, Alaric trailing behind him, still looking worried.

"Oh no," Elena said, the adrenaline dying down enough for her to realize that Stefan must know her true feelings by now. She looked at Damon. "I should-"

"Go," he interrupted softly. "He needs to hear it from you."

"Ok," she said. She took a deep breath and jogged ahead.

"Come on, Sabrina," Damon said, jerking his head in an indication for Bonnie to walk alongside him, keeping a wide distance between them and the rest of the group. "And… uh… thanks. For what you did. You know, not the part where you let us walk into a trap. Not cool. I mean the part where you helped rescue me from it."

"You're welcome," she replied, rolling her eyes. They walked in silence for a good five minutes, with Bonnie glancing up at Damon every so often.

He finally got curious. "What?"

"I saw you. I saw the way you looked at her. You love her. But so do I. And I swear to God, the minute you hurt her - or anyone else in this town, for that matter - you are dead. You owe me your life, Damon Salvatore, and I'm not afraid to claim it back if I so choose. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Damon said, coughing as his body began healing itself from smoke inhalation. He resisted the urge to quote Casablanca. It might not be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, but not killing each other was a great start.

* * *

_**Author's note: And because I know you all waited far too long for this conclusion, please continue on to the Epilogue. (But, hey, if you want to pause to review all the craziness you just read, don't let me stop you!)**_


	23. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.**

_**Author's note: Here it is, folks. Warm and fuzzy with a touch of angst, just like you like it.**_

* * *

**Epilogue**

"…and so then I told Matt that there was _no way_ I was letting him wear a brown shirt to the dance when I had clearly already gone to the trouble of color-coordinating our outfits to match my eyes. Of course, I didn't realize he was kidding at the time. But you know Matt, I mean, it was a very real possibility he was being serious."

Elena grinned at Caroline being… well, Caroline. "Yes, thank God he has you for fashion advice." She took a sip of her soda and glanced at Matt bussing the table behind them, rolling his eyes as he overheard their conversation. He tossed a dishtowel over his shoulder and waved before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Well not all of us are lucky enough to have a boyfriend who dresses in designer clothing," Caroline sighed.

"Talking about me? Well, of course, why wouldn't you be. I am, after all, pretty amazing," Damon said, appearing out of nowhere and sliding in the booth beside Elena.

"And so modest, too," Elena teased before acquiescing to a brief kiss hello.

" See what I'm talking about? Look at him. John Varvatos from head to toe," Caroline huffed. "Although you do wear too much black, Damon. You realize we're in the South, right? I've never seen a Southern boy with that many leather jackets. If we could just add some color to-"

"Stop right there, Barbie," Damon said, noting the gleam in her eye. "You're not making over this Ken. I like my look. Elena likes it too, don't you, honey bunny?"

"Honey bunny?" Elena said, raising an eyebrow.

"Sweetie pie? Sugar? Dumplin'? Cupcake? Pumpkin?" Damon offered. Elena just stared at him. "Ah, well, we'll work out the inappropriate food-based nicknames later."

"Ugh, gag me, I'm gonna go find Matt and make sure he was kidding about the bowling shoes, too."

Elena waited until Caroline left before turning to Damon. "'Dumplin'?" she repeated, dissolving into giggles.

"Ok, you know I was kidding, right? Just because we're together now, don't think that I'm going to go all soft and boring. I'm still a big bad vampire," he said, wiggling his eyebrows for emphasis.

"Oh, sure," Elena said in mock seriousness, nodding her head. She relaxed against the back of the booth as Damon nonchalantly stole her drink, taking a slow sip.

"What?" he asked. He could tell something was bothering her.

"Have you heard from him?" she asked quietly.

"He's doing ok. His friends up north are looking after him. He texts every once in a while to let me know he's alright so I don't come looking for him. He just needs some time. Can't say I blame him."

"Oh," Elena said, guiltily looking down at her hands.

"Look, you let him down as gently as possible, right? Don't beat yourself up over it," Damon said, genuinely trying to make her feel better.

"I know," she said, still feeling uncomfortable remembering the conversation with Stefan where she had to tell him how she developed feelings for his brother. He took it rather well, considering. That made her feel even worse - he probably already suspected it.

"Besides," Damon said, smirking. "It's not your fault I'm so irresistible. Women have been falling in love with me for over a century. Nothing to be ashamed of."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Yes, clearly I had no control over myself. One look at you and, bam! Love at first sight. Shame I'll never get over it."

"You better not," Damon said, scooting closer, "because lucky for you, I fell in love too." He cracked one more signature smirk as Elena's cheeks flushed. "Just don't spread it around, ok? Don't want to ruin my reputation," he said, his lips finally closing in on hers.

"Not a word," Elena breathed against his lips. She hummed with satisfaction as he kissed her, the type of kiss that was filled with promise of kisses to come. Her body melted against his, taking the kiss to a rating that was soon to be inappropriate for the family crowd at the Mystic Grill. She was just about to boldly suggest moving things to a new location - preferably his bed - when a familiar voice interrupted them from above.

"Damon, come on, get off my best friend. And would you please tell Matt what it means to accessorize?"

Damon groaned and placed one final kiss on Elena's lips before turning to Caroline. "We're busy right now."

"Well get busy later. Ew - I didn't mean it like that. Just - can you tell him?"

Elena repressed a laugh as she took in an exasperated Matt, one arm in a death grip from Caroline.

Matt interrupted. "And can you tell Caroline, for the love of God, I was kidding about the cowboy hat?"

"Is this going to be my life now?" Damon whined.

"Yup," Elena said. "Pretty awesome, huh?"

Damon snorted. "Yeah, awesome." All of a sudden, he got a dangerous gleam in his eye. "You know what _would _be awesome…"

"What?" Elena asked suspiciously.

"Caroline, Matt, buddy," Damon said, sliding out of the booth with Elena in tow, smoothly guiding the trio toward the door. "You know what this group needs? A road trip."

"Damon…" Elena warned.

"Shh, baby, I'm talking here. Have you guys ever been to Georgia? No? Great. First, let me explain Damon's Official Road Trip Ground Rules..."

**The End**

* * *

_**Author's note: That's it! ::sniff, sniff:: Hope you liked my little alt-verse. I know the story's over so there's no begging for reviews to inspire the next chapter, but hey, feed the ego anyway, hm? It's nice to know whether or not you enjoyed the ride. **_

_**Meanwhile, I just so happen to have another story in my head, one that doesn't even remotely follow the current plot of the show. Mostly because I have no idea where they're going with the Originals thing and I don't want to conflict with the next season. (But don't worry, it's Delena – no contest there.) So, send your love and I'll see you next time! Thanks for reading!**_


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